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Sanjay Dutt On Surviving Stage 4 Lung Cancer: ‘I Treated It Like A Viral Flu’

Sandy Verma | July 17, 2026 10:24 AM CST

Sanjay Dutt is not only an exemplary actor but also a cancer survivor. In August 2020, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. He experienced shortness of breath and battled fluid build-up in his lungs.

He was treated in Mumbai and was declared cancer-free in October 2020, filling his family, friends, and fans with joy. In a recent conversation with AIG Hospitals’ Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, he opened up about what kept his morale high during cancer treatment and shared his advice for other cancer survivors in the audience.

Sanjay Dutt Treated Lung Cancer Like A “Viral Flu”

Speaking to the cancer survivors, he said, “You have to be a fighter. You can’t just give up. Like I said, face the problem.”

Sanjay Dutt believes that no matter what the problem is, a person should deal with it head-on instead of running away from it. Speaking about his battle with Stage 4 lung cancer, he said, “For me, it’s like a viral flu.”

He added that people should not surrender to the disease, instead, they should treat it like any other ailment. “You have to fight it,” he added.

“I know it’s difficult, but you have to face it. You have to face it with a smile no matter what,” the cancer survivor said, adding that he knows how chemotherapy makes a person lose their hair, and acknowledged that it is particularly more jarring for women.

He further added that none of it matters. “What matters is the fight,” he said, encouraging the audience, and added that doctors and nurses always guide people and do their best to fight cancer.

Sanjay Dutt Is Scared Of Needles

Sanjay Dutt confessed, “I am damn scared of needles.” He added that he does not practise yoga or meditate, but he works out in the gym every day.