Irrfan Khan has neuroendocrine tumour; all you must about this rare disease

Actor Irrfan Khan on Friday revealed that he has been diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour, a rare carcinoma that can target various parts of the body, and is out of the country for treatment. The actor, 51, said it has been difficult dealing with the disease but people around him have given him hope and support to fight it.

He began his statement to the media with a quote from Margaret Mitchell's "Gone with the Wind", "Life is under no obligation to give us what we expect."

The unexpected, he added, makes us grow, which is what the past few days had been about.

"Learning that I have been diagnosed with Neuro Endocrine Tumour as of now has admittedly been difficult, but the love and strength of those around me and that I found within me has brought me to a place of hope," Irrfan said in a media statement.

"The journey of this is taking me out of the country, and I request everyone to continue sending their wishes," he added.

The "Piku" actor also addressed the rumours surrounding his illness, saying neuro is not always about brain and thanked those who had not speculated about his health.

"As for the rumours that were floated, NEURO is not always about the brain and googling is the easiest way to do research. To those who waited for my words, I hope to be back with more stories to tell," he said.

What you must know about Neuroendocrine tumour

Neuroendocrine tumour is quite a rare disease and more common in males in the age group 30-50. It occurs in less than one per million cases.

What is Neuroendocrine tumour

Neuroendocrine tumour is a condition, in which, the neuroendocrine cells - that perform specific functions such as regulating air and blood flow through the lungs and controlling how quickly food moves through the gastrointestinal tract - develop into tumours.

While a neuroendocrine tumour can grow in lungs or a small organ behind the breastbone called the thymus, or more rarely, in the pancreas, kidneys, ovaries, or testicles - the most common is lung, pancreas and intestines.

Symptoms of Neuroendocrine tumour

Depending on the location of the tumour, the tumours may develop local symptoms.

For example, if the tumour is in the lungs, patients may experience cough, bleeding in sputum, chest pain; if it grows in the intestines, patients may develop diarrheoa, bleeding and have black stools.

"Because an endocrine tumour develops from cells that produce hormones, the tumour can also produce hormones. This can cause serious illness including palpitation, high or low BP, which may be precursors to various cardiovascular diseases," Vinit Suri, Senior Consultant, Neurology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals noted.

It can be genetic

The disease can also be genetically predisposed. Thus, for people with a family history, early screening is a must, the doctor suggested.

Is it treatable?

Neuroendocrine tumour is treatable if detected early, a city-based neurologist said.

According to Vinit Suri, Senior Consultant, Neurology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, "early detection can lead to cure by excising the tumour or giving appropriate therapy".

Treatment depends on the type, that is whether it is benign or malignant and the location of the tumour.

"Waiting for the disease to become symptomatic can make it incurable," the neurologist said.

Is Irrfan Khan's tumour curable

Dr Saumitra Rawat, HOD, Surgical Gastroenterology & Liver Transplant, Sri Ganga Ram Hospital, talked to ANI on the matter and gave some insights about its nature and medication.

Dr Rawat said, "NeuroEndocrine Tumour is an abnormal growth of Neuroendo cells which are present in bodies. When there is an abnormal growth, then it forms a tumor - Normally seen in intestine, pancreas, lung, thyroid and other parts of the body".

On commenting on Khan's case, he said, "It depends on the location of the tumour, its size, and what is its mytotic index".

He further noted that such kind of tumours can be taken out surgically.

"Depending on where the tumour is localized, you can take it out surgically and the chances of cure are very high", Dr Rawat explained.

He added that once the procedure is done, the patient is required to have regular check-ups for any recurring tumours.

Irrfan Khan tweets

Actor Irrfan, who has been diagnosed with the disease is one of India's most versatile actors, has also made a name for himself in the west, where he has been a part of critically-acclaimed films such as "The Namesake", "Life of Pi" and "Jurassic World".

At home, the actor has delivered standout performances in films such as "Paan Singh Tomar", "Haasil", "Maqbool" and "Piku".