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Pediatric Education and Research 13(2 (Special Supplement -II)):p 521-523, July-Dec 2025. | DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/per.2321.1644.13225.132
Review Article
Dr. Sidney Farber: Pioneer of Pediatric Oncology and Chemotherapy
Jaiswal Rushikesh Vijay, Kasumbiwal Ajay H., Mangesh Dake, Birajdar Shailaja B.
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Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
Pediatric Education and Research 13(2 (Special Supplement -II)):p 521-523, July-Dec 2025. | DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/per.2321.1644.13225.132
How Cite This Article:
Kasumbiwal Ajay H., Mangesh Dake, Birajdar Shailaja B., et al. Dr. Sidney Farber: Pioneer of Pediatric Oncology and Chemotherapy. Pediatr. Edu. Res. 2025; 13(2): 521-523.Timeline
Received : December 10, 2025
Accepted : December 19, 2025
Published : December 30, 2025
Abstract
Dr. Sidney Farber is known as the Father of Modern Chemotherapy. He attended the University at Buffalo before transferring to Johns Hopkins University, where he earned his medical degree in 1927. Despite his clear brilliance, Farber faced a significant early challenge: as a Jew in a time of widespread discrimination, he found it difficult to secure medical internships in the United States. He went to Germany to continue his training in pathology. Upon returning, he became one of the first full-time pathologists at Harvard Medical School, where he later served as a professor. Farber’s early experience with inequality and his exposure to dying children during his hospital rotations had a profound impact on his personal and professional mission. He became committed to the idea that no child should have to suffer a hopeless disease an idea that would define his life’s work. He discovered that antifolate drugs (like aminopterin) could induce remission in childhood leukemia. He helped establish the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. His work revolutionized cancer treatment and laid the foundation for systemic chemotherapy worldwide. Key Messages: Dr. Sidney Farber gave the basic idea to world of chemotherapeutic drugs in treatment of leukemia.
References
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Data Sharing Statement
There are no additional data available. All raw data and code are available upon request.
Funding
This research received no funding.
Author Contributions
All authors contributed significantly to the work and approve its publication.
Ethics Declaration
This article does not involve any human or animal subjects, and therefore does not require ethics approval.
Acknowledgements
We would like to express our gratitude to the patients, their families, and all those who have contributed to this study.
Conflicts of Interest
No conflicts of interest in this work.
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Cite this article
Kasumbiwal Ajay H., Mangesh Dake, Birajdar Shailaja B., et al. Dr. Sidney Farber: Pioneer of Pediatric Oncology and Chemotherapy. Pediatr. Edu. Res. 2025; 13(2): 521-523.
Licence:
Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
| Received | Accepted | Published |
|---|---|---|
| December 10, 2025 | December 19, 2025 | December 30, 2025 |
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/per.2321.1644.13225.132
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Timeline
| Received | December 10, 2025 |
| Accepted | December 19, 2025 |
| Published | December 30, 2025 |
licence
Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.