Definition

A chemical compound used in medicine to treat certain types of cancer, particularly chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Example

The doctor prescribed busulfan as part of the chemotherapy treatment.

Conversation

Have you heard about busulfan? It’s used in leukemia treatment.

Yeah, I read something about it recently; it's quite interesting.

Right? It’s amazing how such drugs can help fight cancer.

Absolutely, science has come a long way in treating these diseases.

Root Explanation

Busulfan is a synthetic compound, and its name is derived from the chemical structure of the molecule. The name is a combination of 'butane' (referring to the four-carbon alkane) and 'sulfonate' (indicating the presence of a sulfonyl group). The suffix '-an' is commonly used in organic chemistry to denote a specific type of compound. Therefore, busulfan refers to a compound that includes butane and sulfonate components.

Memory Tip

Think of 'butane' as a four-carbon chain and 'sulfonate' as a chemical group that helps you remember that busulfan is a compound made from these elements.

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