Bengaluru, 7 Dec

The State-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO) has successfully performed a high-risk stem cell, or bone marrow transplantation (BMT), on a nine-year-old boy with relapsed Wilms’ tumour who has only one functioning kidney.

The child, Yuvraj (name changed), was first diagnosed in December 2022 and underwent chemotherapy, complete removal of his left kidney, and radiation therapy. His cancer recurred in April 2025, leaving his family, his mother a domestic worker and his father a daily-wage labourer struggling to afford further treatment.

The transplant was performed by Dr Vasundhara Kailasnath, Associate Professor BMT, and her team, who determined that the boy’s best chance of survival despite the relapse was high-dose chemotherapy followed by BMT.

Dr Vasundhara said the case was especially challenging because the child had a single kidney, had received multiple rounds of chemotherapy, required high-dose BMT medication, and faced an elevated risk of severe, life-threatening infections.

At the time of the child’s discharge on Saturday evening, Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development Sharan Prakash Patil congratulated the medical team for their work and commitment.