History
Blood Cancer Awareness Month was established to increase public understanding of blood cancers and to raise awareness about the need for improved treatments, early diagnosis, and increased funding for research.
Since its inception, Blood Cancer Awareness Month has grown in popularity and is now recognized annually in many countries. During the month, organizations and individuals come together to raise awareness, share their experiences, and advocate for increased funding and support for those affected by blood cancers.
The success of Blood Cancer Awareness Month has led to increased public understanding of these diseases and has helped to raise the profile of the need for increased funding and resources for research, treatment, and care for those affected by blood cancers.
Ancient Egyptians first documented cancer in 3000 BCE, describing tumors and ulcers, although blood cancer was not specifically identified.
In 1832, Dr. Alfred-Armand-Louis-Marie Velpeau described leukemia, a type of blood cancer, as a disease characterized by an excess of white blood cells.
Rudolf Virchow, a German pathologist, coined the term “leukemia” in 1845, after observing white blood cells in a blood sample..
In 1863, French physician Armand Trousseau discovered chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a slow-growing type of blood cancer.
American physician William Dameshek proposed the concept of “myeloproliferative disorders” in 1951, broadening the understanding of blood cancers.
The Philadelphia chromosome, a genetic abnormality linked to chronic myeloid leukemia, was discovered by Peter Nowell and David Hungerford in 1960.
In 1973, Janet Rowley confirmed that the Philadelphia chromosome resulted from a genetic translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22.
The first successful bone marrow transplant was performed by Dr. E. Donnall Thomas in 1977, paving the way for a new treatment for blood cancers.
Interferon-alpha, a drug used to treat certain blood cancers, was approved by the FDA in 1986.
The targeted cancer drug imatinib (Gleevec) was approved by the FDA in 2001, revolutionizing the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia.
in 2014 Blood Cancer Awareness Month was createad to help raise awareness for the disease and for new treatments
In 2017, the FDA approved the first CAR-T cell therapy, a groundbreaking immunotherapy treatment for certain types of blood cancer.