Teddi Mellencamp, former star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, revealed that she endured months of severe headaches before doctors discovered multiple brain tumors.

The 43-year-old reality star appeared in an interview with ABC News on Friday where she shared the symptoms she experienced prior to doctors finding that her melanoma cancer has already spread to her brain. Mellencamp said he had initially dealt with "debilitating headaches" for months but was only rushed to the hospital after she started having problems with her vision.

"That day, I couldn't see. I mean, I could barely get down the stairs," she said.

Scans later revealed several tumors in her brain that doctors believe had been growing for at least six months. In February of this year, Mellencamp underwent emergency surgery to remove four large tumors from her brain. During the procedure, medical professionals also identified two tumors in her lungs.

Mellencamp was first diagnosed with stage 2 melanoma in 2022 when she went in to have a large spot removed from her back. Subsequent check-ups revealed more cancerous moles, which led to additional surgeries. She is currently undergoing radiation and immunotherapy in hopes of treating the remaining tumors.

Melanoma is particularly threatening because it can metastasize rapidly, spreading to vital organs like the brain and lungs, making it harder to control once it has spread. Early detection is crucial, as melanoma caught in its early stages has a high survival rate, but this drops significantly if it spreads to distant organs.

The danger of melanoma also stems from its ability to spread through the bloodstream or lymphatic system, reaching distant parts of the body. This aggressive nature means that once melanoma has metastasized, the prognosis worsens significantly. For instance, while early-stage melanoma has a five-year survival rate of nearly 99%, this rate drops to about 30% if it spreads to other organs.

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