title: Successful outcome of mucormycosis in two children on induction therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
abstract: Zygomycetes are one of the less common causes of invasive fungal infections in patients with the hematological malignancies. We report two cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the pediatric age group, complicated by disseminated cutaneous mucormycosis during induction chemotherapy. In one of our cases, cutaneous mucormycosis progressed to osteomyelitis of the proximal ulna while in the other it disseminated to lungs and distant cutaneous site. Aggressive treatment, which included intravenous administration of amphotericin B; radical surgical intervention in the form of serial wound debridement in the former and wedge pulmonary resection in the later, allowed successful salvage, and administration of planned anti-leukemia treatment in both of our cases. High index of suspicion, timely diagnosis, and appropriate treatment are key components of a successful outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Anshul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Charu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Agrawal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Gauri
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kapoor
keywords: Children; cutaneous; leukemia; mucormycosis