Doctors at Surya Mother & Child Super Speciality Hospital, Pune, have successfully treated a nine-year-old boy suffering from both a rare immune disorder and an aggressive form of blood cancer through advanced multidisciplinary care and a specialised bone marrow transplant.
The child was diagnosed with Hyper IgE Syndrome, a rare primary immunodeficiency that severely weakens the body’s ability to fight infections, at an early age. While undergoing treatment for the condition, he was later diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma, a fast-growing blood cancer—creating a highly complex and high-risk clinical situation.
Treating cancer in an immunocompromised child is medically challenging, as chemotherapy further suppresses immunity and increases the risk of life-threatening infections. To manage this, the hospital’s paediatric, oncology, intensive care, and surgical teams designed a carefully calibrated treatment plan, including reduced-intensity chemotherapy, strict infection control, and prolonged critical care support.
Between October 2023 and March 2024, the child underwent three cycles of chemotherapy under close monitoring. During this period, he required multiple ICU admissions and advanced respiratory support due to severe infections.
After stabilisation, doctors proceeded with a specialised haploidentical bone marrow transplant on September 10, 2024, with the child’s father as the donor. The transplant involved advanced alpha-beta T-cell receptor depletion and immune-cell processing to reduce complications and improve safety.
Dr. Sachin Shah, Director – Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care Services, Surya Mother & Child Super Speciality Hospital, said, “This child required prolonged ventilator support, careful tracheostomy management, continuous stabilisation of blood pressure, and reliable vascular access over an extended period. Maintaining this level of critical care was possible only because of the round-the-clock presence of highly trained paediatric intensivists, who ensured his stability throughout chemotherapy and the transplant phase.”
Dr. Sandeep Bartakke, Senior Consultant – Hematology & Oncology, added, “This was an exceptionally challenging case because the child had two rare conditions together—a primary immunodeficiency and an aggressive lymphoma. We had to balance cancer treatment with infection control at every step. The haploidentical, TCR-depleted transplant was critical in achieving long-term recovery.”
Following the transplant, the child developed post-transplant infections, including lung and biliary tract infections. These were managed successfully through targeted treatment and close monitoring. After stabilisation, he was discharged on oral medication and continued under close follow-up until August 2025. Today, the child is doing well. His immune function has normalised, and he remains cancer-free, marking a remarkable recovery after years of medical struggle.
Doctors emphasised that recurrent or unusually severe infections in children should be evaluated early, as they may indicate underlying immune disorders. Timely intervention and coordinated specialist care can significantly improve outcomes in complex cases.