cytarabine, also known as cytosine arabinoside (ara-c), is a chemotherapy medication used to treat acute myeloid leukemia (aml), acute lymphocytic leukemia (all), chronic myelogenous leukemia (cml), and non-hodgkin's lymphoma. it is given by injection into a vein, under the skin, or into the cerebrospinal fluid. there is a liposomal formulation for which there is tentative evidence of better outcomes in lymphoma involving the meninges.