nitrosourea


nitrosourea

 [ni-tro″so-u-re´ah] any of a group of cell cycle phase nonspecific, lipid soluble biological alkylating agents, including carmustine, lomustine, semustine, and streptozocin; they cross the blood-brain barrier and are used as antineoplastic agents. Streptozocin is an antibiotic that contains a nitrosourea group and differs somewhat in action from the other three.

ni·tro·so·ur·e·a

(nī-trō'sō-ūr'ē-ă), Alkylating agent used in the treatment of many neoplasms; an example is BCNU.

nitrosourea

Oncology Any of a group of lipid-soluble alkylating anticancer drugs–carmustine–BCNU, lomustine–CCNU, which cross the blood-brain barrier, and are used to manage brain tumors