Advanced multidisciplinary care helps remove nearly 50% of the infant’s liver after chemotherapy cleared cancer spread to the lungs
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], September 9: In a remarkable display of multidisciplinary cancer care and surgical expertise, a 14-month-old girl from South Rajasthan, diagnosed with an aggressive and fast-spreading liver cancer, has successfully undergone a complex liver resection at Sterling Hospitals, Ahmedabad. Diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, the most common pediatric liver cancer, the infant was initially found to have the disease spread to her lungs, placing her in a high-risk category. The surgery was led by Dr. Nitin Singhal, Senior Cancer Surgeon, Sterling Hospitals, Ahmedabad, in collaboration with the expert anesthesia team led by Dr. Sanjeev Upadhyay and Dr. Jignesh Patel.
The child’s treatment began with intensive neoadjuvant chemotherapy, which successfully cleared the cancer from her lungs. However, a large and stubborn tumour remained in her liver, involving nearly 40% of the organ. Given the extent of the disease, the medical team at Sterling Hospitals, Ahmedabad, undertook a major and highly complex liver resection to remove the tumour.
Performing major liver surgery on a 14-month-old infant following intensive chemotherapy presents significant challenges. An infant has a very limited blood volume, making even small amounts of blood loss potentially life-threatening. In addition, a liver affected by chemotherapy can carry a higher risk of post-operative complications, while maintaining the stability of a very young child throughout a major operation requires continuous and meticulous monitoring.
Following detailed pre-operative planning and close coordination between the surgical and anesthesia teams, the doctors successfully removed nearly 50% of the child’s liver, completely excising the visible tumour. The high-risk procedure was completed uneventfully, with the anesthesia team maintaining vigilant monitoring throughout the surgery.
Despite undergoing a major abdominal operation at just 14 months of age, the child demonstrated remarkable resilience during her recovery. She was discharged from Sterling Hospitals just five days after surgery and returned home with her parents. Her post-operative histopathology report brought further reassurance, confirming that the entire visible tumour had been successfully removed.
The child is currently undergoing the final rounds of adjuvant chemotherapy as part of her ongoing treatment to reduce the risk of disease recurrence. Her treating doctors remain hopeful about her long-term recovery and quality of life. Today, the little girl is smiling, playing, and continuing her treatment, offering a powerful message of hope to other families navigating the difficult journey of childhood cancer.
Dr. Nitin Singhal, Senior Cancer Surgeon, Sterling Hospitals, Ahmedabad, said, “Operating on a 14-month-old child with a large liver tumour after intensive chemotherapy was an extremely complex and high-stakes procedure. At this age, even a small change in blood loss or physiological stability can have serious consequences. Our priority was to achieve complete removal of the visible tumour while ensuring the child remained stable throughout the surgery. The successful outcome was made possible by meticulous surgical planning and close coordination between the surgical and anesthesia teams. Seeing the child recover so well and return home just five days after such a major procedure has been deeply encouraging for all of us. Her journey is a reminder that with timely treatment, specialized expertise, and coordinated care, even complex pediatric cancer cases can be approached with hope.”
The successful outcome highlights the importance of timely diagnosis, multidisciplinary expertise, meticulous surgical planning, and coordinated peri-operative care in managing complex pediatric cancers. It also challenges the perception that very young children are too fragile to undergo aggressive cancer treatment. With specialized expertise and comprehensive care, even high-risk pediatric cancer cases can be approached with the goal of achieving meaningful outcomes and giving children the opportunity to return to a healthy childhood.
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