amifostine (brand name: Ethyol)
(am-ih-FOSS-teen)
A drug that lowers the chance of getting sores in the mouth and esophagus (the tube that goes from the mouth to the stomach). The sores can be a side effect of chemotherapy. Or they can be a side effect of radiation to the mouth or esophagus.
For more information, visit the Breastcancer.org Treatment Side Effects pages.
Audio contributed by: Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach