**1. The early history**

The first case of leukemia had been probably described by Velpeau in 1827 [1]. Literally, he described his patient as '*A florist and seller of lemonade who had abandoned himself to the abuse of spirituous liquor and of women, without, however, becoming syphilitic*' [1, 2] that presented with abdomen distention, fatigue, fever, and side effects of urinary stones. At physical examination, severe hepatosplenomegaly was described, while the blood appeared "like gruel" [1, 2]. The patients actually died as soon as hospitalized [1, 2]. Despite probably depicting an acute leukemia (AL) case, a formal diagnosis was not made. Indeed, the first description of AL was dated in 1845, when two young pathologists, the German Rudolf Virchow and the British John Bennett, described it at the same time. Virchow suggested to name it "*leukämie*" (ie leukemia), a disease originating in the tissue producing blood cells; conversely, Bennett described it as "*leukocypenia*", being a type of pyemia, a suppuration of the blood [2]. The real nature of leukemia was then recognized in about 20 years, confirming Virchows theory (**Table 1**). Since then, attempts to cure it were made with scares success. At that time, the most widely used approach radiation, arsenic, and mesothorium (thorium-X).

