initiation

initiation definition - medical

in·i·ti·a·tion (ĭ-nĭshˌē-āˈshən)

noun
  1. The act or an instance of initiating.
  2. The condition of being initiated.
  3. The first stage of tumor induction by a carcinogen in which cells are altered so that they are likely to form a tumor upon subsequent exposure to a promoting agent.

The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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