The Use of Myleran in the Treatment of Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia

A sulfonic acid ester, Myleran (1,4-bis [methylsulfonyloxy] (Fig. 1), synthesized by Timmis,1was introduced by Galton2for the treatment of chronic myelocytic leukemia. This agent appears to be so promising that it seemed worth while to publish a full account of our own experience with it. Preliminary findings in some of our cases have been reported already.3In addition to the latter and the 19 patients treated by Galton,2the results of treatment of only 40 other cases have been reported until now.* MATERIAL Since November, 1952. we have used Myleran in the treatment of 16 consecutive cases of chronic myelocytic leukemia (Table 1). Eleven had received no previous therapy; five cases had been treated earlier with x-rays, nitrogen mustard, triethylenemelamine, or radioactive phosphorus. The interval from the apparent onset of leukemia to the start of Myleran therapy ranged from 1 month to 56 months; in seven cases it