Actress Dipika Kakar, best known for Sasural Simar Ka, has been courageously fighting liver cancer, and her resilience has become an inspiration for many. In a recent chat on Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa’s podcast, the actress opened up about her ongoing treatment, recovery, and the strength it has taken to face the diagnosis.
Dipika Kakar gives her health update
Providing an update on her health, Dipika revealed that she is preparing for another FAPI scan this month. She shared, “In the first week of November, I’ll be undergoing my FAPI scan again. A FAPI scan is similar to a CT scan, but it’s specifically used to detect cancer cells in the body. It helps doctors understand how far the cancer may have spread before starting surgery or treatment. As for me, Alhamdulillah, the best part is that in my case, the cancer was confined to the tumour itself. During my last FAPI scan, no cancer cells were found anywhere else in the body. About 22% of my liver, which included an 11-centimeter tumour, was surgically removed, taking all the cancer along with it.”
The actress further spoke about her ongoing therapy and the importance of regular monitoring.
“Since then, we have been regularly monitoring my condition through blood and tumour marker tests, and thankfully, all results have been coming back normal. However, I’m currently on oral targeted therapy, which works somewhat like chemotherapy. This treatment will continue for two years, during which we’ll stay vigilant to ensure there’s no recurrence. That’s why periodic scans are necessary to keep everything in check.”
Doctors' reaction to her diagnosis
Dipika also revealed that her doctors were shocked by her diagnosis given her healthy routine.
“Honestly, my surgeon, Dr. Somnath Chattopadhyay, he’s a great surgeon at Kokilaben Hospital and my family physician, Dr. Tushar Shah, both were equally surprised when they reviewed my reports. They told me that, despite all their years of experience, they couldn’t explain how this happened to me. Every doctor I consulted said the same thing, there’s simply no clear reason. Of course, they mentioned there might have been some kind of toxicity in the body that led to it, but only Allah truly knows. We can only make assumptions. As you know, I’ve never smoked, and my lifestyle has always been fairly balanced. Yes, I do indulge in different kinds of food once in a while, but nothing extreme or unhealthy to that level.”
How Dipika sensed something was wrong
Reflecting on how she first sensed something was wrong, Dipika recalled, “I initially thought it was gallbladder pain. The discomfort had been troubling me for quite some time. I believe it started around the time I conceived Ruhaan (her son). During pregnancy, most tests and ultrasounds are focused on the baby, ensuring everything related to the uterus and abdomen is fine. My liver function tests and blood reports always came back normal, so no one suspected anything else could be going on. After delivery, I continued having pain occasionally. The doctor thought it was acidity, so I took medication for it, and for a while, it did help. But eventually, the pain returned and this time, it was severe, on both sides. That’s when I told Shoaib (her husband) that something was seriously wrong because the pain had become unbearable.”
She went on to share how further tests uncovered the real cause.
“I told him to get a blood test done and consult Dr. Tushar. He said, ‘Okay, let’s check,’ and after reviewing the results, he prescribed a 10-day course of medication. After completing it, things seemed fine but on the fourth day, the pain returned, and I called the doctor again. Then he did a test called CRP, which detects the infection rate in your body. And it didn’t come that high as aggressive was the tumour. But then he said, ‘Dipika, why don’t you come and see me once?’ So then I went, and he checked, ‘Let’s do a CT scan,’ which revealed stones in the gallbladder but also a 9 cm long tumour.”
Recalling the moments after surgery, Dipika shared her mindset at the time, “After my surgery was done, I opened my eyes in ICU, I told myself I’m completely alright. Whatever it was, it has been removed and now I have to stay strong and return to my normal routine.”
Shoaib Ibrahim also gave
Recently, her husband Shoaib Ibrahim gave a brief health update, mentioning that they are waiting for her latest test results — a period that always brings mixed emotions of hope and fear.
During a recent AMA session, a fan asked about Dipika’s current health, to which Shoaib replied, “We went to the hospital to give blood samples just yesterday (November 4). Initially, we had to go after three months (following the surgery earlier this year), and after that, we were told to come after two months. Now, the reports will come tomorrow.”
He added how these moments test their patience every time. Turning the camera toward Dipika, who sat beside him, he said,
“This time scares us. I hope, by God’s grace, everything turns out to be fine.”