Marrow transplantation in the treatment of acute childhood leukemia. Historical development and current approaches.

The history of the development of marrow transplantation as a therapy for acute leukemia in childhood is reviewed together with the lessons learned from the first 110 patients transplanted for leukemia at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the Children's Orthopedic Hospital and Medical Center. This has led to the current approach which is to transplant patients earlier in remission but when their prognosis is poor. Recent results for marrow transplants in acute lymphoblastic and acute nonlymphocytic leukemias performed during remission are discussed.