What happened to Maria Menounos? Pancreatic cancer early symptoms explored in wake of health revelation

Well-known journalist and actor Maria Menounos is set to become a mother. Amidst all this, she revealed to People her struggle with Stage 2 pancreatic cancer. She has also suffered from a few other health issues in the past, and the news of her cancer came at a time when she was preparing herself to welcome her baby.

Maria stated that she had leg cramps in June 2022, and after visiting the hospital, she was informed that she had type 1 diabetes. She was given insulin, a restricted diet, and daily glucose testing. As her condition got better, she started having diarrhea and stomach pain. Tests and CT scans, however, produced no results. She stated:

"They said, 'Everything's fine.' But I kept having pains."

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The pain took a worse turn, and after an MRI, Maria Menounos found a 3.9 cm mass on her pancreas, confirmed to be a Stage 2 pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. She expressed her shock about the same and said:

"I'm like 'How in the freaking world can I have a brain tumor and pancreatic cancer? All I could think was that I have a baby coming."

In February 2023, she underwent surgery that required the excision of 17 lymph nodes, a big fibroid, a portion of her pancreas, and her spleen. She said she was unable to move and that the procedure was "painful."

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Maria Menounos expressed gratitude towards her husband and her father. Dr. Ryan Aronin and Dr. Timothy Donahue of UCLA revealed that she does not need any further treatment. Speaking about the entire experience, Maria mentioned:

"I'm so grateful and so lucky. God granted me a miracle. I'm going to appreciate having her in my life so much more than I would have before this journey."

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Pancreatic cancer: Symptoms, causes, and prevention

According to the Mayo Clinic, pancreatic cancer starts in the pancreatic tissues, and the most common cancers that form in the pancreas begin in the cells that line the ducts carrying digestive enzymes out of the pancreas. It is curable if detected in the early stages.

Common symptoms of the disease include abdominal pain radiating to the back, weight loss, yellowing of the skin, whites in the eyes, light-colored stools, dark-colored urine, itchy skin, diabetes, blood clots, and fatigue.

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The causes of pancreatic cancer are still under research, but doctors have listed a few factors, including smoking and inherited gene mutations. Factors that can increase the risk include smoking, diabetes, chronic inflammation of the pancreas, family history of genetic syndromes, obesity, and older age.

Pancreatic cancer can lead to certain complications like weight loss, jaundice, pain, and bowel obstruction. The disease can be prevented by avoiding smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and choosing a healthy diet.

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Maria Menounos' health issues in the past

Maria Menounos was able to survive brain tumor in the past (Image via Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)

Maria Menounos revealed in an interview with People in 2017 that she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. At the time, she stated that she was feeling lightheaded on set and suffered from headaches. She added that her speech had become slurred and she was having issues reading the teleprompter.

Maria went for an MRI and found that she had a meningioma brain tumor. Speaking about the diagnosis, she said:

"I didn't cry. I actually laughed. It's so surreal and crazy and unbelievable that my mom has a brain tumor – and now I have one too?"

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She arranged a surgery that took roughly seven hours and removed 99.9% of the tumor. She stated that although there was a 6-7% probability of its return, she was willing to take the chance.

The 44-year-old has been the host of Extra and E! News. She is an ambassador for WWE and the host of a podcast called Conversations with Maria Menounos.