Copyright Parade
Katie Thurston has hopeful news to share about her stage 4 breast cancer journey. The former Bachelorette star revealed on the SHE MD Podcast that her targeted therapy treatment is working—and her tumors are shrinking. “I already had my 3-month rescan to see what is happening with the tumor, and it has shrunk, which means the treatment’s working,” the 34-year-old shared with hosts Mary Alice Haney and Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi. The news gets even better. The tumor in Thurston’s liver has shrunk so much that it’s no longer visible on scans. “The liver you can’t even see it on a scan, so no radiation or ablation on the liver,” she explained. “We’re just going to let the body keep doing what it’s doing.” Fans responded with overwhelming support in the comments. “So good to hear her treatment working,” one follower wrote, echoing the relief many felt hearing the positive update. Katie Thurston’s Journey From Misdiagnosis to Correct Treatment Thurston’s path to proper treatment wasn’t straightforward. She was initially diagnosed in Los Angeles with stage 3 triple positive breast cancer. However, when she transferred her care to Columbia University Medical Center in New York after moving with her now-husband, comedian Jeff Arcuri, she received life-changing news. A second opinion revealed her diagnosis was actually stage 4 HER2 negative breast cancer—a completely different subtype requiring different medication. The discovery came just four weeks after her initial diagnosis. “I was very close to being treated potentially with the wrong medication,” Thurston revealed. She filed a medical grievance and believes a mistake was made with her original pathology report, though she emphasized this isn’t common and shouldn’t cause widespread worry. Her experience underscores an important message: always get a second opinion for serious diagnoses like cancer. What Treatment Is Katie Thurston On Now? Thurston is currently taking Kisqali, a targeted therapy drug that’s only been available for about eight years. The medication is specifically designed for her type of hormone-positive, HER2 negative breast cancer. With her next set of scans scheduled in just a few weeks, Thurston remains optimistic. “I’m very optimistic that the treatment is still working and that the tumor is still shrinking,” she said. Beyond her personal health journey, the Season 17 Bachelorette star has become a passionate advocate for women’s health. She created the Booby Broadcast, an Instagram community with 60,000 members where cancer patients, survivors and medical professionals connect and support each other. “I think some people suffer in silence and I don’t recommend that,” Thurston advised. “You really do have to find your community.” 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 Despite her stage 4 diagnosis, Thurston radiates hope and positivity. She’s married to Arcuri and looking toward the future, including plans for surrogacy to start a family. She’s frozen embryos and is exploring options to make her dream of motherhood a reality. “I know I am so close to that quote other side,” she shared, offering encouragement to others facing similar battles. “There really is the other side of cancer.” For those newly diagnosed, Thurston’s advice is simple: lean on your support system, find your community and know that it gets easier.
