Cytotoxic
Toxic to cells, cell-toxic, cell-killing. Any agent or process that kills cells. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are forms of cytotoxic therapy. They kill cells. The prefix cyto- denotes a cell. It comes from the Greek kytos meaning hollow, as a cell or container. Toxic is from the Greek toxikon = arrow poison.
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Detrimental or destructive to cells.
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cy·to·tox·ic .sīt-ə-'täk-sik adj toxic to cells
<\cytotoxic lymphocytes> <\cytotoxic drugs>
cy·to·tox·ic·i·ty -(.)täk-'sis-ət-ē n,
pl -ties
Medical dictionary.
2011.