Neuroendocrine tumour (NET): Explaining the disease that killed Irrfan Khan; here's causes, symptoms, treatments

Actor Irrfan Khan passed away at the age of 54 on Wednesday at Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, where he was undergoing treatment for colon infection. As India mourns the beloved actor's death, there's also a fair amount of queries around the disease that killed Neuroendocrine tumour (NET), the disease that developed from a colon infection, and eventually took Irrfan's life.

After all, it was common knowledge for more than two years that Irrfan Khan had been suffering from a 'rare' and 'undisclosed' disease. As far back as February 2018, some media outlets had floated reports suggesting that Irrfan was battling 'brain cancer', a rumour that later subsided when the actor himself took to his official handle on Twitter and announced that he would "share his story" in "a week - ten days" and had asked the media and fans not to "speculate" anything.

pic.twitter.com/JXD8NKwH3D

— Irrfan (@irrfank) March 5, 2018

Later on 16 March 2018, Khan announced through another Twitter post that he was suffering from a neuroendocrine tumour - a rare form of cancer that can target various parts of the body.

pic.twitter.com/IDThvTr6yF

— Irrfan (@irrfank) March 16, 2018

What are Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs)?

Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) are neoplasms that arise from cells of the endocrine (hormonal) and nervous systems. Many are benign, while some are malignant. They most commonly occur in the intestine, where they are often called carcinoid tumors, but they are also found in the pancreas, lung, and the rest of the body.

In easier words, these are tumours which grow abnormally, most commonly in the endocrine gland and neurons, which transmits hormones to the body and controls the nervous system respectively.

Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) symptoms

• Flushing in the face or neck without a sweat (redness, heat)
• Diarrhea, even at night
• Shortness of breath
• Fast heartbeat
• Hypertension
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Abdominal pain, cramps, always filled with stomach
• Rapid weight gain or occurrence without cause
• Cough
• Swelling of legs and ankles
• Skin lesions, thinner patches of skin, thinner skin
• High blood sugar levels
• Frequent urination
• Increased thirst
• Overappetite
• Stress, nervousness, dizziness, instability, and fainting
• Fever and vomiting

What causes Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs)?

A neuroendocrine tumour is a rare disease. In many cases, it was found that it could be hereditary. This means that if one of the parents has a NET, their children are at risk of having it. In addition, people with a weak immune system are likely to contract the disease. Thereby people with immunodeficiency are likely at a higher risk of having neuroendocrine tumors.

Sometimes, sunlight is also included as a cause of developing neuroendocrine tumors. People who do a lot of fieldwork and under the direct range of the sun stand at a risk of developing neuroendocrine tumors due to the exposure to Ultraviolet (UV) rays.

Are Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs) cancerous?

The neuroendocrine tumours are not necessarily cancerous. They can either be malignant or benign, but yes they stand a risk of developing cancerous as well. They are slow-growing but in some cases, metastasis may occur. 

Are there any treatments for Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs)?

Several methods are usually applied after the diagnosis of Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs), depending on the specific details of each case. Treatment does not mean that the disease is absolutely curative. Surgery is one of the most commonly-used curative measures. However, if the tumour has metastasized, most commonly in the liver, other forms of treatment are used. In general, there are four methods applied:

• Surgery
• Medical Oncology (chemotherapy, hormone therapy)
• Radiation Therapy (in case the tumour is inoperable with surgery)
• Gastroenterology (to provide relief with pain, etc)