Mumbai: A 14-year-old Unnati from Raipur was successfully treated for a rare and life-threatening combination of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and a severe fungal infection at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Andheri.
Dr Santanu Sen, the paediatric Haematology, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation expert, under whom Unnati was treated, said her ordeal began a year ago when she experienced sudden fatigue and weakness.
“She was diagnosed with ALL after a routine blood test, her treatment started locally in Raipur. However, her condition rapidly deteriorated as she developed a severe fungal infection in her chest caused by Aspergillus, a highly invasive fungus. The infection, compounded by her leukaemia, left her critically ill and dependent on a ventilator,” said Dr Sen.
Faced with a grim prognosis, Unnati was airlifted to KDAH, where she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. “For us, her condition presented a unique medical challenge: aggressive chemotherapy was essential to treat her leukaemia but risked exacerbating the fungal infection, which was already spreading dangerously,” said Dr Sen.
Dr Sen and his team devised a meticulous treatment plan, combining gentle chemotherapy to control the leukaemia with aggressive antifungal therapy. For six weeks, Unnati remained on a ventilator, battling both conditions. The fungal infection proved particularly resistant, requiring the use of four different antifungal drugs over several months.
“Such a resistant fungal infection is complicated to treat and often fatal,” said Dr Sen. “It is a testament to Unnati’s courage and the tireless efforts of the medical team that we were able to achieve the impossible.”
After six months of intravenous antifungal therapy and a carefully balanced leukaemia treatment, Unnati’s health improved. Her fungal infection was declared cured, and her leukaemia went into remission.
“Unnati is back home in Raipur, healthy and full of life. She has returned to school, embracing a new chapter as a cancer warrior who defeated not just leukaemia but also a rare and deadly fungal infection,” said Dr Sen.
