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During World War II, the U.S. Army began probing mustard gas’ various poisons, looking for deadlier weapons. But among the harmful chemical ingredients, researchers discovered nitrogen mustard, a compound that, miraculously, seemed to slow lymphoma. Eventually, doctors figured out a way to deploy nitrogen mustard and similar so-called alkylating agents to damage the DNA of cancer cells, and in 1956, methotrexate, one ingredient of what’s now the standard chemotherapy cocktail, helped lead to the first recorded cure of metastatic cancer.
The drive to build on past discoveries continues today as cancer treatments become more specific to individual patients, resulting in improved outcomes and reduced side effects. “Our knowledge of basic science, biology, and biochemistry is what’s fueling the successes that we’re seeing in the clinic,” says Dr. Gerald Falchook, a…
