4 min readNew DelhiJul 31, 2026 02:55 PM IST
Actor Ram Kapoor made an emotional revelation on reality show Lock Upp Season 2, where he opened up about his father’s illness and death. “I helped my father in planning his death. He was diagnosed at 63. Pancreatic cancer. It was not possible to operate. He underwent 18 sessions of chemotherapy. His cancer was almost gone. He recovered so well that he lived till 73. A good life,” he expressed.
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Kapoor added, “Obviously, my reaction was the same as anybody else’s. He managed to convince me that if I don’t help him, he will die alone. He didn’t give me a choice. He had a condition that I cannot share this with anyone. He also said, you can’t leave me alone. When they put me into ICU, you have to be there with me. We got admitted to the hospital, but no one knew that there was no treatment happening. I didn’t know I would be strong enough. Somehow, he knew I could do it. He was scared. He was scared of being alone. He wasn’t scared of dying. But he just didn’t want to be alone. He said, I don’t want anyone to cry at my funeral. I held his hand, and every day, I helped him …go…(pauses)…My mother and sister still don’t talk to me…it’s been more than five years…But I think…it’s one of the best things a child can do for his parent.”
Taking a cue from his revelation, we asked experts about when pancreatic cancer is inoperable.
Dr Vivek Bande, surgical oncologist, TGH Onco-Life Cancer Center, Talegaon, said that pancreatic cancer is considered inoperable when the tumour has spread to distant organs such as the liver or lungs, or when it has grown into major blood vessels around the pancreas, making surgery unsafe or unlikely to remove the cancer completely. “In some patients, the cancer is also detected at a very advanced stage, when surgery would not provide meaningful benefit. Even if surgery is not possible, chemotherapy, targeted treatments, symptom control and palliative care can help improve quality of life and, in selected patients, may even shrink the tumour enough to reconsider surgery,” said Dr Bande.
When is the cancer inoperable? (Photo: Freepik)
Dr Saneya Pandrowala, consultant, GI & HPB Oncosurgery, KIMS Hospitals, Thane, said it’s important to know that “inoperable” doesn’t always mean “untreatable”. “So, many patients can still benefit from chemotherapy, certain targeted therapies, radiation, or procedures that alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life.”
One of the biggest challenges with pancreatic cancer is that it often goes unnoticed in its early stages. Symptoms like ongoing abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, jaundice, loss of appetite, or new-onset diabetes typically show up only after the disease has advanced. “As a result, many patients receive a diagnosis at a later stage, when surgery is no longer the best treatment option,” said Dr Pandrowala.
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The decision about whether a tumour can be operated on is made after detailed imaging scans and discussions by a team that includes surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, radiologists, gastroenterologists, and other specialists. “Every patient’s disease behaves differently, so treatment is always customised to the individual’s condition rather than relying on a single scan or diagnosis,” said Dr Pandrowala.
While pancreatic cancer remains one of the tougher cancers to treat, improvements in imaging, chemotherapy, surgical methods, and personalised treatment plans have led to better outcomes for many patients. “Early evaluation by a specialist is crucial, as prompt diagnosis provides the best chance of finding patients who could benefit from surgery or other effective treatments,” said Dr Pandrowala.