RHOC Alum Jeana Keough’s Cancer

Former reality television star Jeana Keough was diagnosed with tongue cancer earlier this month. Keough’s daughter, Kara Keough Bosworth, made a public announcement sharing her mother’s diagnosis on July 19, 2026. Here is what we know about Jeana Keough’s cancer.

Jeana Keough, aged 70, is a former actress, model, and reality television personality. Keough is best known for her role as one of the original cast members on the first five seasons of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Orange County (RHOC). Following her departure from the main RHOC cast, Keough continued to make guest appearances on subsequent seasons. She even served as the narrator for season 15. Throughout her career, she also modelled for magazines such as Playboy and appeared in numerous music videos by rock band ZZ Top, including “Gimme All Your Lovin’.”

Keough was diagnosed with tongue cancer, specifically squamous cell carcinoma, following a biopsy. Keough’s daughter, Kara Keough Bosworth, shared that her mother had been complaining of a painful spot on her tongue, which was later discovered to be cancer. The cancer, which was initially surgically removed, was discovered to have spread to her lymph nodes in a follow-up procedure. The week of Bosworth’s announcement, Keough was reportedly undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy.

Bosworth also shared that the treatment process has been incredibly painful and taxing on her mother’s health due to excessive pain when eating or drinking. "Every day is a battle just to get enough nutrition and hydration to continue treatment." Due to difficulties with chewing and swallowing, Keough was scheduled to receive a G-tube to deliver sufficient nutrition to her body.

However, earlier this week, Bosworth shared an unfortunate update regarding her mother’s condition. “Jeana was scheduled to get the G-tube this morning, so she [could] get some nutrition. She hasn’t been able to eat a meal for two weeks, so she’s extremely depleted. We uncovered a DVT clot in her leg, and now an infection, too,” wrote Bosworth in a social media post shared on Tuesday. “The feeding tube can’t be put directly into her stomach until there’s clarity on the infection. Chemo and radiation are temporarily paused so we can figure this out.”

The 37-year-old concluded her post with an optimistic tone, sharing that her mother insisted she was well enough to continue surgery. She urged her audience to pray for Keough’s recovery, echoing the same sentiments as her original announcement regarding her mother’s diagnosis—“She is kind to everyone—even to people who have nothing to offer her in return.”