Cancer patient cured of fatal fungal infection

A cancer patient was cured of mucormycosis, a deadly invasive fungal infection, by the Fortis Hospital doctors.

Kamala, 33, battling an acute myeloid leukaemia, was undergoing induction immunotherapy when she was infected with mucormycosis, which is known to be fatal within 48 hours of contracting it.

“It was a big challenge for us to treat a patient who was already suffering from cancer as Kamala was undergoing high-dose of chemotherapy," said Dr Sachin Jadhav, Hematologist and BMT Physician.

"When we examined Kamala, she had tenderness on her cheeks and this meant that she could be harbouring a fungal infection in the maxillary sinus. The tests confirmed she had contracted mucormycosis. What followed was a major fight to save her,” Jadhav said.

He said normalising of white blood cells and timely therapy helped her to recover. Kamla is now doing well and has been discharged, Dr Jadhav added.