Irrfan Khan reveals that he is suffering from neuroendocrine tumour what is neuroendocrine tumour?
Hindi medium actor Irrfan Khan post last week disclosing that he has been suffering from a ‘rare disease’ had left the whole of Bollywood and his fans in utter shock. The actor has been diagnosed with Neuroendocrine Tumour and he will be travelling out of India for his treatment. In a statement, Irrfan wrote, “The unexpected makes us grow, which is what the past few days have been about. Learning that I have been diagnosed with Neuroendocrine 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. The journey of this is taking me out of the country, and I request everyone to continue sending their wishes. 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.”
A few days back Irrfan’s wife Sutapa Sikdar posted a long note about her husband’s health conditions and even called him a ‘warrior’. She wrote, “My best friend and my partner is a ‘warrior’ he is fighting every obstacle with tremendous grace and beauty.” Echoing the positive thoughts of her husband, she added, “It wasn’t and isn’t and is not going to be easy but the hope ignited by the magnitude of family, friends and fans of Irrfan has made me only optimistic and almost sure of the victory.”
what is neuroendocrine tumors
A tumor begins when healthy cells change and grow out of control, forming a mass. A tumor can be cancerous or benign. A cancerous tumor is malignant, meaning it can grow and spread to other parts of the body if it is not found early and treated. A benign tumor means the tumor can grow but will not spread. A benign tumor usually can be removed without it causing much harm.
An endocrine tumor is a mass that begins in the parts of the body that produce and release hormones. Because an endocrine tumor develops from cells that produce hormones, the tumor can also produce hormones. This can cause serious illness.
A neuroendocrine tumor begins in the hormone-producing cells of the body’s neuroendocrine system, which is made up of cells that are a combination of hormone-producing endocrine cells and nerve cells. Neuroendocrine cells are found throughout the body in organs such as the lungs and gastrointestinal tract, including the stomach and intestines. Neuroendocrine cells perform specific functions, such as regulating air and blood flow through the lungs and controlling how quickly food moves through the gastrointestinal tract.
Types of neuroendocrine tumors
There are many types of
neuroendocrine tumors. This section focuses on 3 specific types: pheochromocytoma, Merkel cell cancer, and neuroendocrine carcinoma. Other types of tumors that begin in hormone-producing cells are described in their own sections on Cancer.Net, including endocrine tumors, carcinoid tumors, thymoma, thyroid cancer, and islet cell tumors.
Pheochromocytoma. Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor that begins in the chromaffin cells of the adrenal gland. These specialized cells release the hormone adrenaline during times of stress. Pheochromocytoma most often occurs in the adrenal medulla, the area inside the adrenal glands. This type of tumor increases the production of the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline, which increase blood pressure and heart rate. Even though a pheochromocytoma is usually benign, it may still be life-threatening because the tumor may release large amounts of adrenaline into the bloodstream after injury. Among people with pheochromocytoma, 80% have a tumor in 1 adrenal gland, 10% have tumors in both glands, and 10% have a tumor outside the adrenal glands.
Merkel cell cancer. Merkel cell cancer is a highly aggressive, or fast-growing, rare cancer. It starts in hormone-producing cells just beneath the skin and in the hair follicles. It is usually found in the head and neck region. Merkel cell cancer may also be called neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin or trabecular cancer.
Neuroendocrine carcinoma. Around 60% of
neuroendocrine tumors cannot be described as anything other than “neuroendocrine carcinoma.” Neuroendocrine carcinoma can start in a number of places in the body, including the lungs, brain, and gastrointestinal tract.]]>