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NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms

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mistletoe lectin  listen  (MIH-sul-toh LEK-tin)

  A substance that comes from the mistletoe plant and that is being studied as a treatment for cancer. A lectin is a complex molecule that has both protein and sugars. Lectins are able to bind to the outside of a cell and cause biochemical changes in it. Lectins are made by both animals and plants.