Difference between revisions of "Timeline of leukemia"

This is a '''timeline of [[leukemia]]''', describing especially major discoveries and advances in treatment against the disease.

|Prior to 1800||Various [[cancer]]s, including leukemia, are described in [[ancient Egypt]]ian texts dating back to 3000 BC. Translations inform "large, protruding mass" or "thick blood" and describe the disease as "there is no treatment." This basic understanding of leukemia and cancer lasts for millennia.<ref>{{cite web|title=History of Leukemia|url=http://leukemiainiraq.weebly.com/history-of-leukemia.html|accessdate=20 August 2016}}</ref>

|19th Century||Discovery of leukemia. [[Alfred Velpeau|Velpeau]] (1825), [[Alfred Donné|Donné]] (1844), [[John Hughes Bennett|Bennett]] (1845), [[David Craigie|Craigie]] (1845), [[Rudolf Virchow|Virchow]] (1845), and [[Henry Fuller (physician)|Fuller]] (1846), establish the possibility that sustained [[leukocytosis]] could occur in the absence of infection. The term ''leukemia'' is adopted to describe such conditions.<ref name="the-leukemias"/><ref name="piller" /><ref name="Acute Myeloid Leukemia History" /> It is discovered that leukemia originates in the [[bone marrow]]. Histologic stains for microscopic study are introduced.<ref name="the-leukemias"/>

|1900s||Leukemia is subdivided in four primary types: [[acute myeloid leukemia]], [[chronic myeloid leukemia]], [[acute lymphocytic leukemia]] and [[chronic lymphocytic leukemia]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Leukemia types|url=http://www.cancercenter.com/leukemia/types/|accessdate=18 August 2016}}</ref><ref name="historia de la leucemia">{{cite web|title=La historia de la leucemia|url=http://lasaludi.info/historia-de-la-leucemia.html|accessdate=18 August 2016}}</ref>

|1940s–present||Era of [[chemotherapy]] development, also the first effective leukemia treatments with drugs introduced by [[Sidney Farber]].<ref name="piller" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Sidney Farber|url=http://www.dana-farber.org/About-Us/History-and-Milestones.aspx|accessdate=18 August 2016}}</ref><ref name=timeline/> Childhood leukemia is thought to be on a constant rise in the 20th and 21st century.<ref name="steadyhealth" /> In 2010, globally, approximately 281,500 people died of leukemia.<ref name=Loz2012>{{cite journal |vauthors= |title=Global and regional mortality from 235 causes of death for 20 age groups in 1990 and 2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 |journal=Lancet |volume=380 |issue=9859 |pages=2095–128 |date=December 2012  |pmid=23245604 |doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61728-0 |url=}}</ref> In 2000, approximately 256,000 children and adults around the world developed a form of leukemia, and 209,000 died from it.<ref name=Numbers>{{cite journal|title=Cancer incidence, mortality and survival by site for 14 regions of the world|author=Mathers, Colin D, Cynthia Boschi-Pinto, Alan D Lopez and Christopher JL Murray|work=Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy Discussion Paper No. 13|publisher=World Health Organization|year=2001|url=http://www.who.int/entity/healthinfo/paper13.pdf}}</ref> DNA and genetic analysis have opened a new chapter in leukemia treatments.<ref name="steadyhealth">{{cite web|title=History of leukemia|url=http://ic.steadyhealth.com/history-of-leukemia|accessdate=19 August 2016}}</ref>

|1749||Discovery||French physician [[Joseph Lieutaud]] first notes white cells, calling them ''globuli albicantes''.<ref name="from ancient times">{{cite web|title=Leukaemia – a brief historical review from ancient times to 1950|url=http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2141.2001.02411.x/full|accessdate=20 August 2016}}</ref>||  

|1774||Development||English surgeon [[William Hewson (surgeon)|William Hewson]] publishes work on the [[lymphatic system]] and first describes the [[lymphocyte]].<ref name="from ancient times" />||United Kingdom

|1811||Development||Peter Cullen defines a case of ''splenitis acutus'' with unexplainable milky blood.<ref name="kampen">{{cite journal|last1=Kampen|first1=KR|title=The discovery and early understanding of leukemia.|doi=10.1016/j.leukres.2011.09.028|pmid=22033191|volume=36|date=Jan 2012|journal=Leuk Res|pages=6–13}}</ref>||[[Edinburgh]], Scotland

|1825||Development||French [[surgeon]] [[Alfred-Armand-Louis-Marie Velpeau|Alfred Velpeau]] defines the leukemia associated symptoms, and observes [[pus]] in the [[blood vessel]]s.<ref name="kampen" />||

|1844||Discovery||French bacteriologist [[Alfred François Donné|Alfred Donné]] detects a maturation arrest of the [[white blood cell]]s.<ref name="kampen" />||

|1845||Development|| English physician [[John Hughes Bennett|John Bennett]] renames ''splenitis acutus'' to ''leucocythemia'', based on the microscopic accumulation of purulent [[White blood cell|leukocytes]].<ref name="kampen" /><ref>{{cite web|title=splenitis acutus|url=http://leukemiaresearch12.wixsite.com/leukemiaresearch/about|accessdate=19 August 2016}}</ref>||  

|1845–1847||Development||German physician [[Rudolf Virchow]] defines a reversed [[White blood cell|white]] and [[red blood cell|red]] [[blood cell]] balance. Virchow introduces the term ''leukemia'' for the disease (''leukämie'' in [[german language|German]]).<ref name="the-leukemias">{{cite web|title=The leukemias|url=http://jco.ascopubs.org/content/32/31/3463.extract#|accessdate=17 August 2016}}</ref><ref name="kampen" />||

|1868||Discovery||German [[pathologist]] [[Franz Ernst Christian Neumann|Ernst Neumann]] reports changes in the [[bone marrow]] in leukaemia and establishes the link between the source of blood and the bone marrow.<ref name="piller">{{cite web|title=Leukaemia – a brief historical review from ancient times to 1950|url=http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2141.2001.02411.x/full|accessdate=17 August 2016}}</ref>||[[Königsberg]], [[Prussia]]

|1877||Development||Swiss [[pathologist]] [[Paul Ehrlich]] develops methods for staining tissue, making possible to distinguish between different types of blood cells, thus leading to the capability to diagnose numerous [[blood disease]]s.<ref name="the-leukemias" /><ref name="piller" /><ref name="Acute Myeloid Leukemia History" />||Germany

|1879||Development||F. Mosler first describes the technique of bone marrow examination to diagnose leukemia.<ref name="Acute Myeloid Leukemia History" />||  

|1889||Development||German physician [[Wilhelm Ebstein]] introduces the term ''acute leukemia'' to differentiate rapidly progressive and fatal leukemias from the more indolent chronic leukemias.<ref name="Acute Myeloid Leukemia History" />||[[Prussia]]

|1900||Development||Swiss [[hematologist]] [[Otto Naegeli]] refines the classification of leukemia by dividing it into myelogenous and lymphocytic classes.<ref name="the-leukemias" /><ref name="piller" /><ref name="Acute Myeloid Leukemia History" />||

|1946||Organization||[[Leukemia Research Foundation]] is established. It is dedicated to combating all blood cancers by funding research.<ref>{{cite web|title=Leukemia Research Foundation|url=https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=8070|accessdate=17 August 2016}}</ref>||[[Northfield, Illinois]], [[United States]]

|1947||Discovery||American [[pediatrics|pediatric]] [[pathologist]] [[Sidney Farber]] discovers that [[aminopterin]] can induce remissions in acute [[lymphocytic leukemia]] in children, leading to the development of a new category of chemotherapy drugs, called [[antimetabolites]], that impair the ability of cancer cells to grow and replicate. It is considered the first effective leukemia treatment.<ref name=timeline>{{cite web|title=Leukemia Progress & Timeline|url=http://cancerprogress.net/timeline/leukemia|accessdate=16 August 2016}}</ref>||

|1949||Organization||[[Leukemia & Lymphoma Society]] is founded. It is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services.<ref name="organizations">{{cite web|title=Leukemia Organizations|url=http://www.findingdulcinea.com/guides/Health/Cancer/Leukemia.pg_04.html|accessdate=17 August 2016}}</ref><ref name="Leukemia&Lymphoma">{{cite web|title=The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society|url=http://www.lls.org/who-we-are/history|accessdate=17 August 2016}}</ref>||[[Rye Brook]], [[New York (state)|New York]] (serves the [[United States]] and [[Canada]])

|1949–1956||Discovery||Researchers discover ways to protect the body from [[radiation damage]] by shielding a mouse's [[spleen]] from radiation. Eventually, it is learned that the body recruits stem cells, which are found in the spleen and bone marrow, to protect and heal itself from radiation damage.<ref name="timeline" />||

|1957||Development||Researchers report the first [[bone marrow]] transplantation for treating leukemia, although with poor results. It would not be until the late 1970s when marrow transplantation becomes successful due to tissue matching.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Tetsuya|first1=Ishii|last2=Koji|first2=Eto|title=Fetal stem cell transplantation: Past, present, and future|doi=10.4252/wjsc.v6.i4.404|pmid=25258662|pmc=4172669|volume=6|year=2014|journal=World J Stem Cells|pages=404–20}}</ref>||[[United States]]

|1958||Discovery||Scientists find that a combination of the drugs [[Mercaptopurine|6-mercaptopurine]] and [[methotrexate]] can reduce or eliminate cancer growth and extend survival in patients with leukemia. It is discovered that carefully honed drug combinations can attack cancer cells from different angles.<ref name="timeline" />||[[United States]]

|1960–1969||Discovery||Various studies show that the drug [[Cytarabine|cytarabine (ara-C)]] has activity against leukemias and provides a major boost to combination chemotherapy for [[acute myeloid leukemia]].<ref name="timeline" />||  

|1960||Discovery||Researchers identify a chromosomal abnormality linked to many leukemias. A decade later, it is discovered that this abnormality results when parts of chromosomes 9 and 22 switch places in a phenomenon called [[Chromosomal translocation|translocation]].<ref name="timeline" />||[[Philadelphia]], [[United States]]

|1961||Discovery||Researchers demonstrate that drug [[vinblastine]] blocks a key protein involved in cancer cell division and induces some leukemias and lymphomas into remission. Vinblastine is approved by the [[FDA]].<ref name="timeline" />||[[United States]]

|1963||Development||[[Vincristine]], a sister drug to [[vinblastine]], is approved by the [[FDA]].<ref name="timeline" />||[[United States]]  

|1965||Organization||The [[International Agency for Research on Cancer]] (IARC) is founded as an intergovernmental agency forming part of the [[World Health Organization]] of the [[United Nations]]. Its role is to conduct and coordinate research into the causes of cancer.<ref>{{cite web|title=IARC|url=http://apps.who.int/bookorders/anglais/detart1.jsp?codlan=1&codcol=76&codcch=34|accessdate=21 November 2016}}</ref>||[[Lyon]], [[France]]

|1974||Development||[[Antibiotic]] [[doxorubicin]] is approved by the [[FDA]] to treat many cancer types, including some leukemias. Together with [[cytarabine]], doxorubicin induces [[acute myeloid leukemia]] remissions by damaging the [[DNA]] of [[cancer cells]].<ref name="timeline" />||[[United States]]

|1977||Discovery||Chemotherapy drug [[chlorambucil]] is found to slow the progression of chronic [[lymphocytic leukemia]], the second most common type of leukemia in adults.<ref name="timeline" />||

|1980||Discovery||Human T-cell leukemia virus [[Human T-lymphotropic virus|type 1 (HTLV-I)]] is identified. It is the first virus that causes cancer being discovered.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) infection and the onset of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL)|doi=10.1186/1742-4690-2-27| pmid=15854229|pmc=1131926|volume=2|year=2005|journal=Retrovirology|pages=27 | last1 = Matsuoka | first1 = M}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Fifty Years of Milestones in Cancer Research|url=http://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/features/fifty-years-of-milestones-in-cancer-research?page=2|accessdate=28 August 2016}}</ref>||  

|1982||Discovery||A large trial shows that using the [[anthracycline]] [[daunorubicin]], in combination with [[cytarabine]], is more effective at causing complete remissions of [[acute myeloid leukemia]] than the previously-standard drug, [[doxorubicin]].<ref name="timeline" />||

|1986||Organization||The [[National Marrow Donor Program]] is established as a nonprofit organization. It operates the world's largest registry of unrelated adult donors and umbilical [[cord blood]] units, which contain [[stem cell]]s that can help save the lives of some patients with blood-related cancers.<ref name="timeline" />||[[St. Paul]], [[Minnesota]], [[United States]]  

|1986–1989||Discovery||Scientists find that occupational exposure to [[benzene]] is associated with increased risk of developing [[non-lymphocytic leukemia]], [[non-Hodgkin lymphoma]], and other diseases.<ref name="timeline" />||  

|1988||Organization||The [[José Carreras Leukaemia Foundation]] is founded by tenor [[José Carreras]]. It finances national and international scientific research projects, among other activities.<ref>{{cite web|title=José Carreras foundation|url=https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/company/opera_guest/jose_carreras/|accessdate=19 August 2016}}</ref>||[[Barcelona]], [[Spain]] (branches in [[United States]], [[Switzerland]] and [[Germany]])

|1989||Organization||[[The Simon Flavell Leukaemia Research Laboratory]] is founded. It aims at supporting children and adults who have been diagnosed with leukemia and [[lymphoma]], and conducting research programmes into new antibody-based treatments.<ref>{{cite web|title=David Flavell|url=https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/fellows/honorary-fellows-2013/david-flavell|accessdate=19 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Simon Flavell Leukaemia Research Laboratory  research|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/7648847/Common-flower-could-revolutionise-treatment-of-leukemia.html|accessdate=19 August 2016}}</ref>||[[Southampton]], United Kingdom

|1990–1994||Development||[[Fludarabine]] is introduced, and proven effective for patients who do not respond to [[chlorambucil]] for treating leukemia.<ref name="timeline" /><ref>{{cite journal|title=Fludarabine Compared with Chlorambucil as Primary Therapy for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia|doi=10.1056/NEJM200012143432402|url=http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM200012143432402#Background=&t=abstract | volume=343|journal=New England Journal of Medicine|pages=1750–1757|pmid=11114313|date=December 2000 | last1 = Rai | first1 = KR | last2 = Peterson | first2 = BL | last3 = Appelbaum | first3 = FR | display-authors = 3 | last4 = et al}}</ref>||

|1993||Treatment||[[Stem cell]] transplantation for treating leukemia is performed for the first time.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Haploidentical stem cell transplantation for acute leukemia.|pmid=12430847 | volume=76 Suppl 1 | journal=Int J Hematol|pages=165–8 | last1 = Aversa | first1 = F | last2 = Terenzi | first2 = A | last3 = Felicini | first3 = R | last4 = Carotti | first4 = A | last5 = Falcinelli | first5 = F | last6 = Tabilio | first6 = A | last7 = Velardi | first7 = A | last8 = Martelli | first8 = MF | doi=10.1007/bf03165238}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Fifty Years of Milestones in Cancer Research|url=http://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/features/fifty-years-of-milestones-in-cancer-research?page=3|accessdate=28 August 2016}}</ref>||

|1995||Discovery||Researchers discover that Lymphocyte transfusions from a biologically matched, healthy donor to a patient with chronic [[myeloid leukemia]] can help drive the leukemia back into remission if the cancer returns after a previous stem cell or bone marrow transplant from the same donor.<ref name="timeline" />||

|1995||Discovery||[[Tretinoin]] is found to cause remission in patients with [[acute promyelocytic leukemia]].<ref name="timeline" />||  

|2000||Discovery||Large clinical trial demonstrates that drug [[fludarabine]], which was originally developed as a back-up therapy for patients with [[B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia|chronic lymphocytic leukemia]], works in more patients and produces longer lasting remissions than previous standard drug, [[chlorambucil]].<ref name="timeline" />||  

|2001||Discovery||The [[FDA]] approves [[imatinib]] after the drug is shown to halt the growth of [[chronic myelogenous leukemia]] in the majority of patients.<ref name="timeline" />||[[United States]]

|2004–2006||Development||Epigenetic drugs [[azacytidine]] and [[decitabine]] are approved by the FDA to prevent cancer in patients with [[myelodysplastic syndrome]]s, a group of blood disorders that predispose a person to [[acute myelogenous leukemia]].<ref name="timeline" />||[[United States]]

|2005||Development||FDA approves [[palifermin]] to reduce oral sores associated with chemotherapy in patients with blood cancers.<ref name="timeline" />||

|2006||Discovery||[[Dasatinib]] is found to help as second targeted treatment for patients with [[chronic myelogenous leukemia]] who cannot tolerate or develop resistance to [[imatinib]].<ref name="timeline" />||  

|2008||Development||[[Acute Myeloid Leukemia]] becomes the first cancer genome to be fully sequenced.  [[DNA]] is extracted from leukemic cells and compared to unaffected skin. Acquired mutations in several genes that have not previously been associated with the disease are found in leukemic cells.<ref name="Acute Myeloid Leukemia History">{{cite web|title=Acute Myeloid Leukemia History|url=http://www.news-medical.net/health/Acute-Myeloid-Leukemia-History.aspx|accessdate=17 August 2016}}</ref>||

* [[Timeline of melanoma]]

* [[Timeline of lymphoma]]

* [[Timeline of lung cancer]]

* [[Timeline of brain cancer]]

[[Category:Leukemia]]

[[Category:Health-related timelines]]

[[Category:Medicine timelines]]