Beyond Borders, Beyond Illness- 2-Year-Old Kenyan Child with Down Syndrome and Rare Blood Cancer gets a second chance to Life at Fortis Gurugram

Beyond Borders, Beyond Illness:
2-Year-Old Kenyan Child with Down Syndrome and Rare Blood Cancer gets a second chance to Life at Fortis Gurugram

- Down Syndrome, which affects 1 in 700 to 1,000 live birth
increases the risk of developing leukaemia by 2% -
Gurugram, 30th June, 2025: In a rare reported case, Doctors at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, have successfully performed a rare bone marrow transplant (BMT) on a 2-year-old Kenyan male child diagnosed with complex health conditions - cancer of the blood and bone marrow, along with Down Syndrome. Such cases are extremely rare and usually have an abysmal prognosis globally, with less than 30% success rate. A well-curated treatment approach over several months by the Pediatric Haemato-Oncology team enabled successful recovery for the child, despite suffering from resistant blood cancer. Dr. Vikas Dua, Principal Director & Head Paediatric Haematology, Haemato Oncology & Bone Marrow Transplant, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, and his team successfully treated the infant.

The child was diagnosed with blood cancer in November last year in Kenya. Despite undergoing two cycles of chemotherapy, he showed no signs of remission, indicating refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) - a condition that demands specialised, high-end care unavailable in Kenya. Due to the complexity of his case, compounded by his underlying genetic condition (Down Syndrome), he was referred to Fortis Gurugram, which is equipped with the latest advanced infrastructure and a multi-disciplinary team experienced in handling rare paediatric haematological disorders.

When presented at Fortis Gurugam, the child had a relapsed and refractory cancer which required immediate chemotherapy to get the disease under remission before transplantation took place. The team conducted extensive diagnostic investigations, including bone marrow tests, to re-confirm the diagnosis and chart an individualised treatment plan. Given the lack of standard treatment protocols for such rare and complex cases, a customised chemotherapy regimen and transplant plan were designed based on intensive literature reviews, clinical experience and multi-disciplinary inputs.

The bone marrow transplant was conducted in January this year, and the child remained under close medical observation for 21 days during hospitalisation. The transplant involved precision planning, management of drug toxicities, prevention of organ complications and rigorous infection control, all under the supervision of Fortis’ specialised paediatric BMT unit. After 3 months post-transplant, the child is fully recovered, with perfect donor chimerism - a critical indicator of transplant success and is living a healthy, active life.

Dr. Vikas Dua, Principal Director and Head of Paediatric Haematology, Haemato Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplant at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, shared details of the case, saying, "This case showcases the impact of Fortis’ world-class bone marrow transplant programme on challenging and rare conditions. The transplant not only gave the child a second chance at life but also demonstrated our expertise in treating rare genetic and blood disorders with precision and compassion. This transplant was one of the very few done in India for a relapsed AML case in a Down Syndrome patient, highlighting Fortis’ commitment to delivering cutting-edge care for complex paediatric conditions, including rare immunodeficiencies and relapsed malignancies.”

Dr Dua added further, “Down Syndrome, affects 1 in 700 to 1,000 live births, increases the risk of developing leukaemia by 2% before the age of 5, with some children having a 150-fold increased risk of developing myeloid leukemia. Moreover, about 25% of AML cases in children with Down Syndrome are refractory or relapse, making treatment more complicated and outcomes poorer. Studies show that survival in such relapsed/refractory cases is as low as 22% globally.”

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