18-month-old suffering from rare cancer running out of time

New Delhi: Suffering from olfactory neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer, 18-month-old Rohan Paul from Guwahati has arrived with his parents at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here on Friday, hoping that the life-threatening tumour on his face will be removed.

When he was a mere six months old, Rohan fell from the bed and his nose began bleeding profusely. The bleeding, unexpectedly, turned into a tumor which has now covered his entire face and hampered vision in his right eye.

Accompanied by his father Ratikanta, an auto-rickshaw driver, Rohan underwent an initial round of chemotherapy while doctors are still studying the effects of the tumour on his facial organs.

"He was a toddler when he fell from the bed and started bleeding. We took him first to a nearby clinic and then Silchar Medical College. The small clot has since been increasing in size. After trying all big hospitals in the Northeast, we came here," said Ratikanta.

In just one year, Rohan's tumour, arising from his nasal cavity, has progressively increased, especially in the last 45 days.

The 7"x7" tumour, which occupies Rohan's cheek, right eye and oral cavity, has reduced his breathing to only 28 per minute and causes him pain.

Experts say that a tumour of this size has never been seen on an infant in the country, as they struggle to find a solution for the struggling infant.