Former Real Housewife Of Beverly Hills Teddi Mellencamp's Stage 4 Cancer Diagnosis Explained

On April 2, 2025, former "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" cast member Teddi Mellencamp took to Instagram Stories to thank her fans for their support and provide an update on her health (via People). "I gotta tell you, some days I feel really really strong and some days I feel really really sad and alone," the reality star said. "And I think that's a normal part of what any of us are going through, and that's okay. Stage 4 cancer can be scary." In the post, Mellencamp revealed that she had just gone through immunotherapy and radiation therapy one day prior after learning that she had four more tumors. "I kinda thought I had already beaten it," she said. 

According to People, Mellencamp was originally diagnosed with melanoma in 2022. However, it has since metastasized (spread) to her brain and lungs, leading to her stage 4 diagnosis. The star announced on February 12 that her doctors had found multiple tumors in her brain after she had spent several weeks dealing with "severe and debilitating headaches." The four larger tumors were removed surgically, while her smaller tumors were treated with radiation. On March 6, she revealed via Instagram that more tumors had been found in both her brain and her lungs. Mellencamp stated at that time that her doctors were optimistic that immunotherapy would help. "I am feeling positive and excited — that I will beat these tumors," she said.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, cancer is staged based on its size and growth. It ranges from stage 0, where there are abnormal cells, but they haven't spread, to stage 4, where the cancer has spread from the original location to other organs or parts of the body.

Melanoma Research Society notes that melanoma is the deadliest type of skin cancer. This cancer, which occurs in the pigment-producing cells of the skin, is among the top 10 types of cancer in the United States. If detected early, there is a 99% survival rate. However, once an individual progresses to stage 4, the five-year survival rate drops to 30%.

AIM at Melanoma Foundation explains that treatments for stage 4 melanoma include surgery, systemic therapies (such as the immunotherapy that Mellencamp is receiving), radiation therapy, and clinical trials investigating new drugs and treatments. Although Mellencamp is currently undergoing both immunotherapy and radiation therapy, she said she will learn on June 1 what her next steps, if any, are. "If you need to do another round, if there's any other surgery, if it's the end. It's a hard pill to swallow," she told Us Weekly.