Katie Thurston Shares Honest Health Update Amid Stage 4 Breast Cancer Battle

Former Bachelorette star Katie Thurston is opening up about her fight with Stage 4 breast cancer. In an emotional update posted to her Instagram Stories on June 1, the 34-year-old shared how her second month of treatment is going and how she’s coping with the difficult journey.

Katie started the video by saying she hopes to do more raw, uncut check-ins with fans. “I just finished my second month of treatment, and if you’re asking how long treatment is, technically forever,” she said. She added that she’s staying hopeful, calling herself a “stage 4 girly” who is optimistic about future medical advancements.

Physical and Emotional Toll of Treatment

Katie didn’t hold back when talking about the physical changes she’s experiencing. She said her hair is falling out in large clumps and joked about struggling with memory loss. “Going through customs and them being like, ‘Where are you coming from?’ And I looked at him and I was like, ‘I don’t remember,’” she shared with a mix of humor and sadness.

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A Complicated Diagnosis and Shifting Treatments

Katie first shared her cancer diagnosis in February. Later, doctors confirmed that her breast cancer had spread to her liver, officially classifying it as Stage 4.

In April, Katie got a small bit of good news—her cancer is HER2-negative, meaning she could avoid chemotherapy for now. However, other medications she’s been taking are also tough. One of them was supposed to cause early menopause to slow down cancer growth. When that didn’t happen, her doctors decided to switch her to a medication called Lupron. If that doesn’t work, she may have to undergo surgery to remove her ovaries.

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Life Beyond Reality TV

Katie became a household name after appearing on The Bachelor Season 25, followed by The Bachelorette Season 17, where she got engaged to Blake Moynes. Their relationship didn’t last, but Katie later found love again. In March 2025, she married comedian Jeff Arcuri, someone she met outside the Bachelor Nation spotlight.

Even while facing health challenges, Katie continues to show strength, humor, and honesty—qualities fans have admired since the beginning.