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HLeads Insights – How was chemotherapy invented? | The story of Paul Ehrlich

February 20, 2023
1 Min Read

Have you ever wondered how chemotherapy, one of the most widely used cancer treatments today, was invented? This video tells the fascinating story of Paul Ehrlich, the father of chemotherapy, and how his groundbreaking research paved the way for this life-saving treatment.

In the late 19th century, Ehrlich was a German scientist who was passionate about finding a cure for cancer. He believed that the key was to find a drug that would specifically target cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed. After years of research and experimentation, Ehrlich discovered a chemical compound called arsphenamine, which proved to be effective in treating syphilis, a disease that was prevalent at the time.

Building on this success, Ehrlich and his team began testing arsphenamine on cancer cells and found that it had a similar effect, killing cancer cells while sparing healthy ones. This was the birth of chemotherapy, a treatment that has saved countless lives over the years.

This video explores the fascinating history of chemotherapy, from Ehrlich's groundbreaking research to the modern-day treatments that are used today. It also delves into the challenges that researchers faced in developing chemotherapy, including the toxic side effects of early treatments and the need to constantly refine and improve the drugs used.

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