John Cleland Testis Cancer Fellowship

Many know the story of the development of the cure for testis cancer. Many are, indeed, alive because of it. In February 2022, we lost an important part of that story.

John Cleland with Dr. Einhorn 

In 1974, John Cleland was one of the first patients to receive experimental chemotherapy with cisplatin + vinblastine + bleomycin (PVB) to treat his advanced testis cancer. He became the first person in the world to be cured with this regimen. Prior to receiving PVB, he received three different lines of chemotherapy with only brief benefit but severe toxicity. Because of his courage to continue fighting, PVB and later bleomycin + etoposide + cisplatin (BEP) became the worldwide standard therapy, increasing the cure rate for metastatic testis cancer from 5 percent to 80 percent. John was a hero for bravely accepting this option when I presented it to him. Countless lives have been saved because John was willing to be a test case for my long-shot idea. I’ll never forget the pure joy I had in telling John, back in 1974, that I thought he was going to make it.  

And make it he did. He lived 47 more years and was a wonderful husband, father, educator, coach and friend. John and I kept in touch all his life, and I am personally indebted to him for being my partner in this journey.

To ensure that John is always a part of the cancer center, we created the John Cleland Testis Cancer Fellowship Fund to promote ongoing training in testis cancer research among our fellow trainees. My wife Claudette and I made a lead gift to this fund in John’s memory. I’d love it if you, too, would consider making a gift to honor this trailblazing hero in testis cancer research.

Sincerely, 

Lawrence H. Einhorn, MD
Distinguished Professor
Indiana University