Species-Specific Therapy of Acute Lymphoid Leukemia

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Abstract
Forty years ago, Farber and associates described temporary remissions of acute leukemia in children produced by folic acid antagonists [13]. This ignited the hope that this most frequent and always fatal childhood cancer might be curable by drugs. Twenty years ago, Aur and associates completed accession of patients to total therapy study V, the first treatment protocol to result in 50% cure of acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) [3]. Their results stand 20 years later (Fig. 1), and have been reproduced throughout the world in many thousands of children [6]. More important, recent national vital statistics of the United States and the United Kingdom indicate a 50% reduction in childhood leukemia mortality [4, 29]. Further, the cured children generally enjoy a normal life-style without need for medication.