Melphalan is a nitrogen mustard alkylating agent used primarily as a chemotherapeutic drug to treat various cancers, including multiple myeloma, ovarian cancer, and lymphomas. It works by cross-linking DNA strands, thereby inhibiting DNA replication and inducing cell death in rapidly dividing cancer cells. Developed in the 1950s as part of the effort to create more targeted cytotoxic agents derived from mustard gas compounds used in World War II, melphalan quickly gained recognition for its effectiveness against hematologic malignancies. Over the decades, it has become a mainstay in both systemic chemotherapy and high-dose conditioning regimens prior to bone marrow or stem cell transplantation. Its continued clinical use highlights its efficacy, relatively well-characterized toxicity profile, and role in modern oncology protocols.
