Kelis' Husband Mike Mora's Cancer Diagnosis Explained

In September, Kelis' husband, Mike Mora, revealed in a series of Instagram posts that for the past year, he'd been diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer. In one post, he said that just after his third child, Galilee, was born, he underwent a series of tests after experiencing stomach and back pain. In that same post, Mora said, "They said 18 months. It's been exactly 12." In a later post, he said he decided to share his story because "life is full of the most unexpected situations," and that he wanted to help anyone who might be going through a similar situation.

The official term for stomach cancer is gastric adenocarcinoma, and it is considered fairly rare. Only 1.4% of the U.S. population are diagnosed with stomach cancer per year, and it is estimated that approximately 26,000 people will be diagnosed with it in 2021, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Stomach cancer generally begins in the lining of the stomach, and from there, it can go in many different directions, according to the American Cancer Society. There are various stages of cancer, and most of them are gauged by where the cancer spreads.

In stage 4 stomach cancer, the cancer cells might have made their way into the layers of the stomach wall and the lymph nodes. Mora noted in an Instagram post that his cancer was spreading to the lymph nodes in his back. At the time of the posting, he wrote that he was receiving care from the oncology center at the University of California at Los Angeles.

Sometimes, removing the cancer through surgery is an option. However, if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, it might not be the best choice. Chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and targeted drugs are other forms of treatment. Mora did not indicate what type of treatment he was receiving but one of his Instagram posts included a picture of an IV in his arm, with him pointing out that it was the "first of many, many more."