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Acts. has been bravely battling liver cancer. Her strength and optimism through this journey have only deepened the admiration her fans feel for her. Recently, in a conversation on Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa’s podcast, Dipika spoke about her cancer treatment, and the emotional toll it took. She also spoke about how the family is now waiting for her latest scan, which will tell if she remains cancer-free.
Sharing an update on her health, Dipika revealed that she is gearing up for another FAPI scan in early November: “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.”
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Speaking about her treatment plan and why regular scans remain crucial, she continued, “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.”
Dipika Kakar also reflected on how even her doctors were taken aback by her diagnosis, given her healthy lifestyle. “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.”
In the same conversation, Dipika recalled how she first discovered something was wrong. She shared, “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.”
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She continued, explaining how further tests revealed the shocking truth. “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.”
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Recalling her state of mind post-surgery, Dipika said: “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.” Recently, her husband Shoaib Ibrahim shared an update on her current condition. He mentioned that they are awaiting her blood test results, a period that often brings anxiety and hope in equal measure.
During an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on social media, when a fan inquired about Dipika’s health, Shoaib responded: “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 also spoke about how emotionally challenging these waiting periods can be, before turning the camera toward Dipika, who was seated beside him in the car.
“This time scares us. I hope, by God’s grace, everything turns out to be fine,” he said, as Dipika nodded in agreement. Shoaib assured fans that he would share an update once the reports arrive.
