Tarek El Moussa's Cancer Battles
- HGTV star and two-time cancer survivor Tarek El Moussa abruptly walked out of an on-camera interview with his ex-wife during the series finale of Flip or Flop.
- The couple have been divorced since 2018, but remain civil for the sake of co-parenting their children, as well as the show. It seems that tensions have been bubbling for some time, as the show's end was announced just last week.
- In 2013, Tarek El Moussa, now 40, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and testicular cancer (both of which he would beat).
During the last-ever episode, El Moussa is seen on-screen with his co-host and ex-wife Christina Haack, 38. They discuss the major renovation of a Spanish-style home; the renovation became a point of contention between the exes because of the massive pool in the backyard.
Read MoreShe continued down a list of potential ideas, but in the middle of talking, El Moussa began shaking his head "no," saying "no" and walked off screen. "Fill it up with water," he said before exiting the frame, followed by a confused look from Haack.
The couple have been divorced since 2018, but remain civil for the sake of co-parenting their children, as well as the show. The show's end was announced just last week, on March 10, with People magazine reporting that the set had become too tense for the exes. The show has been on the air since 2013, when the couple was still married.
"Tarek and Christina are generally cordial. They're co-parenting and nothing gets in the way of that," an unnamed source told People. "The show was just too intimate of a setting at this point and it was time to close that chapter."
"The writing has been on the wall for a while. It was not sudden," another insider told People of the show's ending.
Co-host Haack offered some thoughts on the show's ending, telling People: "I will be forever grateful to have had a series for a decade. It's a huge accomplishment and everyone who worked on the show should be very proud."
Haack and El Moussa went through a very public divorce in 2018 all while the show continued to film and began navigating the minefield that is co-parenting and new relationships while filming.
El Moussa married Selling Sunset star Heather Rae Young, 34, last year and Haack is currently engaged to realtor Joshua Hall, 41. Prior to her relationship with Hall, she married and then divorced Celebrity IOU: Joyride host Ant Anstead, 42.
In a statement shared exclusively with People, Tarek El Moussa said: "I couldn't be more grateful for the last ten years with Flip or Flop. The support from our fans, the network and the wild ride that it's been has been incredible. Even though the Flip or Flop chapter is coming to a close, another exciting one is soon starting."
Haack expressed a similar message: "I'm looking forward to my next chapter and working in positive, fun and creative environments," she told People. "I'm ready to let go of the stress and enjoy life and all it has to offer."
The last-ever episode of the HGTV classic Flip or Flop will air tonight (Thursday, March 17) at 8 p.m.
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Tarek El Moussa's Cancer Battles
In 2013, Tarek El Moussa was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and testicular cancer (both of which he would beat).
His thyroid cancer diagnosis came after a viewer of his HGTV show Flip or Flop, who also happened to be a nurse, noticed a lump on El Moussa's throat while watching him on television. She contacted the network, telling them what she had seen.
In the same year, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
During a 2017 interview with People magazine, El Moussa said of the experience: "I was at one building doing my thyroid stuff, and mentioned I was going across the street to get an ultrasound done. I'll never forget the doctor joking, 'I hope you don't have cancer!'"
The treatment path for both types of cancers depends upon the stage at which the cancer is diagnosed. Common treatments for testicular cancer include chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. Treatments for thyroid cancer can include surgery, hormone therapy, radioactive iodine, radiation and, in some cases, chemotherapy.
Understanding Testicular Cancer
Testicular cancer starts in the testicles (also called testes; a single testicle is called a testis), and these organs are part of the male reproductive system. The two organs are each normally a little smaller than a golf ball in adult males, according to the American Cancer Society. The testes are held within a sac of skin called the scrotum, which hangs under the base of the penis.
Testicular cancer is not common, ACS reports; about 1 of every 250 males will develop testicular cancer at some point during their lifetime.
In contrast, since testicular cancer can usually be treated successfully, a man's lifetime risk of dying from this cancer is very low about 1 in 5,000.
Dr. Edwin Posadas, the medical director of the Urologic Oncology Program at Cedars-Sinai Cancer, previously told SurvivorNet that testicular cancer doesn't often present with pain, but it can.
"Most men will present with some sort of mass on their testicle; a sexual partner or spouse may feel the mass when they're being intimate," he said, adding that some men may notice blood in their ejaculate as a result of testicular cancer, which is a less common symptom.
Related: Save A Nut!: Testicular Cancer Survivor Mark Borja Makes it His Mission to Spread Awareness
Understanding Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid cancer, the first cancer Tarek El Moussa was diagnosed with, is a type of cancer that starts in the thyroid gland that creates hormones that help regulate your metabolism, heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature.
Spotting thyroid cancer can often be difficult. ACS reports that symptoms may include a lump, swelling or pain in the neck, voice changes, trouble swallowing or breathing or even a constant cough.
"Most people have no discrete symptoms; the majority of cases now are found incidentally," Dr. Allen Ho, a head and neck surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, previously told SurvivorNet. "However, a sizable number of people may first discover their cancer when they feel a bump on their neck."
"Other possible late symptoms include problems swallowing, the sensation of something in their throat, neck compression when laying flat or voice changes," Dr. Ho added.
The good news is that many of these possible symptoms, including lumps in the thyroid, are both common and commonly benign, but it never hurts to ask your doctor.
Chances of cancer recovery increase significantly with early detection, so it is important to address any warning signs of thyroid cancer, or any cancer, with a medical expert as soon as possible.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
