Kirron Kher On Cancer Diagnosis: One Learns To Deal With It And Carry On

Kirron Kher on cancer diagnosis: Actor-politician Kirron Kher is currently undergoing maintenance therapy after availing treatment for multiple myeloma- a type of cancer, earlier this year. The 69-year-old Member of Parliament said in a recent interview that she was in better shape now and had never stopped working during her illness.

Kher's family had said in a statement on April 1 this year that the actor was suffering from blood cancer. She had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma in  November last year and underwent treatment at Kokilaben hospital in Mumbai.

Now speaking to Hindustan Times, Kirron Kher revealed that while she has been working through her treatment, her doctor hasn't cleared her for air travel as her immunity is slightly compromised. The actor conceded that this was not the ideal situation to be in. "Par yeh zindagi hai. One learns to deal with them and carry on. There’s no way out except to treat it. Nobody likes going through the treatment or its side effects," she added.

Kher also spoke on the uncertainty of her diagnosis. "Some people get cured and some don’t. Even the doctors don’t know how and why it happened. Medical science doesn’t really have a concrete answer," she said, further adding that she would much rather not have it. But it’s something she had to accept.

What is Multiple Myeloma?

According to Dr Anjana Sainani, MD and Medical Oncologist, multiple myeloma is an increased proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow, resulting in excess production of one type of proteins formed by these cells. "Bone marrow is occupied by these abnormally growing plasma cells and seen as bone destructive areas with or without symptoms.”

This type of cancer impacts the immune system and affects normal bone marrow function, and a result of which patients become anaemic. It also prompts an increase in protein secretion, “which makes blood viscous and even can get deposited in kidneys leading to reduced kidney filtration. Blood calcium rises to very high levels as bone gets resorbed by these tumours,” says Dr Sainani. Read more about the disease here.

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