Drug development and chemotherapy in acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Of mice to men

Abstract

The article by Burchenal, Riley, and Rhoads details the in vivo assessment of the efficacy of a series of nitrogen mustards and carbamates in acute leukemia using a transplanted mouse leukemia model. In the 50 years since publication, identification of effective agents for the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia has transformed a universally fatal disease to one in which the majority of afflicted children are cured.