Maria Menounos Undergoes Surgery For Brain Tumor, Leaves E!

The E! News co-anchor revealed that she's been diagnosed with a brain tumor and has undergone surgery for its removal. 

Maria Menounos spoke with People about her health scare, noting that it occurred while she was helping care for her mother, who has stage 4 brain cancer. "I'd been getting lightheaded on set and having headaches," she said, explaining symptoms that began in February 2017. "My speech had gotten slurred and I was having difficulty reading the teleprompter."

After speaking with her doctor, they scheduled an MRI, though she pushed it off until April, thinking she was feeling better, E! News notes. The scan revealed that Menounos had a brain tumor called meningioma, described by People as the size of a golf ball.

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

Menounos then made an appointment with her mother's neurosurgeon, Dr. Keith L. Black, and scheduled a surgery date for June 8, her 39th birthday. Black told her that he was "98 percent sure [the tumor was] benign" but admitted that he wouldn't know for sure until he performed the surgery.

During the seven-hour surgery, Black was able to remove most of the tumor, which they discovered was indeed benign. "He said there's a six to seven percent chance that we'll see it come back," Menounos said. "But I'll take those odds any day."

After staying in the hospital for six days, Menounos is back at home, recovering from the ordeal. In light of her recent health crisis, Menounos has decided to leave her position at E! and E! News. "I am so grateful for the past three years at E!. I had such an amazing time co-hosting with Jason Kennedy and working everyday with the wonderful roster of talent on the show including producers, staff and crew. It was such a special, good-hearted group and one I'll always consider family," she stated in a press release (via E! News). "A special thank you to Frances Berwick and Adam Stotsky for all the support they have shown me through the years especially during these tough times. I will truly miss everyone and looking forward to this next chapter in my life."

We wish Menounos a speedy recovery.