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Definition of Ethylene oxide
Medically reviewed by Min Clinic Staff | Updated: January 2026
Ethylene oxide: A chemical widely used in the health care industry to sterilize medical devices and also used to make other chemicals.
In the year 2000 the US government upgraded ethylene oxide to the status of a "known human carcinogen." There is an increased risk for leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in workers exposed to ethylene oxide.