Irrfan Khan Succumbs To Rare Disease Neuroendocrine tumour. Here Is How The Disease Took Over The Prolific Actor

The actor who recovered from the illness had returned to acting with a movie released last month but was diagnosed with a colon infection on Tuesday after which he breathed his last

New Delhi, April 29: Acclaimed Bollywood and international actor Irrfan Khan in 2018 revealed about his rare disease through a tweet while he was undergoing the treatment and hoped to be back with more stories to tell. The actor who recovered from the illness and returned to acting with a movie released last month was diagnosed with a colon infection on Tuesday. The 54-year-old actor’s health suddenly deteriorated after which he has been  admitted to an ICU at Kokilaben hospital and was under doctor's observation.

The actor, who put up a brave face against the disease, left us for heavenly abode after the recovery from Neuroendocrine tumour.

The actor had tweeted in 2018 that the disease is not about the brain.

Here is what the disease is all about.

What is Neuroendocrine tumour?

Neuroendocrine tumour, or NET, is basically a condition in which an abnormal tissue growth arises in the hormone producing nervous cells (or neuroendocrine cells) of the body. The tumor can develop slowly or aggressively and most commonly found to have developed in intestines, other than lungs, pancreas, or anywhere in the rest of the body. It may also spread to other body parts.

However, survival rates depend on many factors and cannot be generalized. There were no confirmed reports about the type of neuroendocrine tumour which Irrfan khan had and neither did he mention it in that tweet.

The actor, who was diagnosed with a rare type of Neuroendocrine tumour underwent chemotherapy and treatment in the US in 2018 before recovering and returning to India.

What is a colon infection?


Irrfan towards the end was caught with an infection in the colon. This happens when the lining of the colon, present inside the large intestine gets inflamed. The condition for improvement depends on the type and severity of the disease.  Several diseases can interfere with the normal functioning of the colon. Even as colon inflammation is largely caused by viral and bacterial infections, sometimes, it can become weak due to operation or surgery. In some instances where chemotherapy is used, it can put the person at a higher risk of developing an infection and sepsis.