English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

THE first chemotherapeutic agent used for the treatment of chronic granulocytic leukaemia was the heavy metal arsenic, which as early as 1865 was noted by Lissauer to exert a beneficial action in some cases. Radiotherapy as a treatment for this condition was first used in 1902 by Pusey and was found to be more predictable in action than arsenic. Over the next 50 years a wide variety of drugs was tried in the management of chronic granulocytic leukaemia but none was as satisfactory as radiotherapy which throughout this time remained the standard therapy. In 1953 Haddow and Timmis showed that the sulphonic acid ester busulphan (1-4 dimethanesulphonyloxybutane, Myleran, Burrows Wellcome & Co.) caused depression of granulopoiesis in man. Galton (1953) was the first to use this agent in the treatment of chronic granulocytic leukaemia and his results showed that this drug was capable of challenging radiotherapy as the treatment of choice. Chronic granulocytic leukaemia is a relatively rare disease and although the large majority of untreated patients survive only three to four years, occasional patients may survive for eight to nine years (Minot, Buckman and Isaacs, 1924). Thus the final assessment of any new therapy requires considerable time. We have, over the past five years, treated 25 patients with chronic granulocytic leukaemia by busulphan and it is felt that a report of our experience may be of value. A preliminary report concerning five of these patients has previously been published (Nelson and Lowry, 1957). In addition, five of the patients in the present series have shown a very high platelet count during the course of their illness and it is of special interest that in four this occurred whilst they were on continuous busulphan therapy. We have used busulphan in initial dosage of 4-6 ing. daily; subsequent control of dosage was as previously described by Nelson and Lowry (1957). Throughout the period of initial therapy all patients were hospitalized and given a high protein diet with a high fluid intake; blood transfusions were given only as supportive therapy. After discharge the patients were reviewed at least once a month as out-patients, and by the use of continuous busulphan therapy it was attempted to keep the white cell count in the range 10-20,000/cu.mm. but preferably below 12,000/cu.mm.

Busulphan in the Treatment of Chronic Granulocytic Leukaemia