Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Quimioterapia mielodepresora
Myeloablative chemotherapy (MY-eh-loh-uh-BLAY-tiv KEE-moh-THAYR-uh-pee)
High-dose chemotherapy that kills cells in the bone marrow, including cancer cells. It lowers the number of normal blood-forming cells in the bone marrow, and can cause severe side effects. Myeloablative chemotherapy is usually followed by a bone marrow or stem cell transplant to rebuild the bone marrow.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.