Mumbai: Last November, 25-year-old Bhiwandi resident Shadab Khan moved to Saudi Arabia to work as a manual labourer. By early March, his 3-month-old son was diagnosed with a tumour. Shadab was unable to find a flight home as the early days of the war on Iran just brought with it exorbitant prices and travel disruptions.The child, Abbas Ali, was operated on at Parel’s Wadia Hospital. Doctors removed a tumour the size of a tennis ball. Shadab’s brother, Shahbaz Khan, 28, said the family has already spent Rs 3 lakh on the procedure by taking out loans.“My brother tried to come back but practically it would have meant more expenses and we didn’t know how much more the treatment would cost,” Khan said.The earliest symptoms were unusual. An otherwise active child, Abbas suddenly went quiet and lethargic, often staring into space for prolonged periods. He was rushed to a general physician, who referred the family to Wadia Hospital.Khan noted that because no ICU bed was initially available at Wadia, Abbas had to be admitted to another hospital for one night before being shifted back the next morning for the surgery.The infant’s total blood volume was less than 500 ml; there was a risk of heavy blood loss. The four-hour surgery was led by neurosurgeons Dr Abhishek Nadkarni and Dr Sheena Ali. “The tumour was causing a lot of pressure inside the brain. It was approximately 6x5x5 cm and blocked the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid,” said Dr Nadkarni.Lab tests showed the tumour was an “immature teratoma”. This is a rare cancer that grows from cells misplaced while the baby is still developing in the womb. Such tumours typically present in adolescence. They are rare in a 3-month-old infant.Abbas is not yet out of danger, and his chemotherapy cycles are set to begin. Doctors warn there is a chance of recurrence. Meanwhile, Shadab’s monthly remittances of Rs 15,000 are the family’s primary means of pushing through.
