Doctors at Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh successfully treated a critically ill 17-year-old girl diagnosed with Stage 3 Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare and highly aggressive form of bone cancer, through a multidisciplinary treatment approach involving intensive critical care and timely chemotherapy.
Ewing’s sarcoma remains extremely uncommon, with an estimated global annual incidence of nearly one case per million people. Despite the severity of the disease and life-threatening respiratory complications, the medical team successfully stabilised and treated the patient.
The team was led by Dr Suhail Qureshi.
Delayed Treatment Allowed Cancer to Progress
As per the press release, the teenager had been experiencing worsening breathlessness and progressive swelling in her upper back for more than a year. During this period, she underwent alternative therapies from private practitioners but did not experience any relief. Consequently, the cancer advanced significantly before she reached the hospital.
As her condition deteriorated further, doctors admitted her to Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh in an extremely critical state.
Patient Arrived in Septic Shock with Severe Respiratory Failure
At the time of admission, the patient was suffering from septic shock, severe hypoxia, and dangerously low blood pressure. As a result, doctors immediately shifted her to the intensive care unit (ICU), where she required ventilatory support and inotropic medication to maintain blood pressure.
Detailed investigations revealed that a massive cancerous tumour originating from the ribs had completely occupied her right lung. Furthermore, the tumour had displaced vital chest structures to the opposite side, leaving her dependent on a single functioning lung.
The patient also experienced severe respiratory distress, making her initially unfit for chemotherapy.
Intensive ICU Care Helped Stabilise the Patient
Despite the challenges, the medical team stabilised the patient through intensive ICU management, intravenous antibiotics, and ventilatory support over the next 8 to 10 days.
Once her condition improved, doctors initiated chemotherapy directly in the ICU under strict monitoring while she remained on ventilatory support.
Over the following 15 days, the patient responded remarkably well to treatment. Gradually, doctors weaned her off respiratory support as her condition continued to improve.
Subsequent PET scan investigations later confirmed that the disease remained localised to the chest, significantly improving her prognosis and chances of recovery with continued treatment.
Doctors Highlight Challenges of Treating Advanced Ewing’s Sarcoma
Explaining the complexity of the case, Dr Suhail Qureshi said that although Ewing’s sarcoma is rare, doctors can potentially cure it if they diagnose and treat it early through evidence-based care.
“In this case, the patient arrived in an extremely critical condition with advanced disease that had completely compromised one lung,” he said. “She also had severe respiratory distress, septicemia, and hemodynamic instability.”
He further explained that prolonged ventilatory support and intensive critical care significantly increased the risk of complications, including hospital-acquired infections, multi-organ dysfunction, and delayed recovery.
“Starting chemotherapy in such an unstable patient is always high-risk because it can further suppress immunity and worsen existing infections,” he added. “However, with meticulous ICU management, aggressive infection control, and continuous monitoring, we stabilised her and safely initiated treatment.”
He also emphasised that early diagnosis and multidisciplinary intervention remain crucial for improving survival outcomes in Ewing’s sarcoma patients.
Fortis Emphasises Collaborative Cancer Care
Naveen Sharma highlighted the importance of coordinated teamwork in handling such rare and complicated medical cases.
“These complex cases reflect Fortis’ expertise in managing critically ill patients through close collaboration between multidisciplinary teams,” he said. “The case also reinforces Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh’s commitment to advanced oncology care, critical care excellence, and patient-centric treatment.”