Katie Thurston Shares Heartening Health Update and Details Upcoming Double Mastectomy
Katie Thurston shared an update on her health as she continues her fight against stage IV breast cancer.
“I wanted to provide an update on my current journey living with and managing stage IV breast cancer. What many don't grasp about stage IV is that I'll require medication indefinitely,” the 34-year-old former Bachelorette revealed in an Instagram video posted on Friday, September 19. “It's essentially a long-term management strategy, which is reassuring but also carries a degree of apprehension.”
Thurston further explained that while she undergoes cancer treatment, there's always a chance her “medication could become ineffective.” Should this occur, she collaborates with her doctor to explore alternative treatment plans.
Monthly, Thurston undergoes laboratory tests. A recent set of results raised “some concern” for both her and the medical team. Consequently, her doctor opted to “reduce” her daily pill intake from three to “two pills.” Thurston indicated that this adjustment has proven beneficial.
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“This adjustment has positively impacted my liver enzymes, which means I don't have to interrupt my current treatment and can proceed,” she clarified. “The more significant indicator of its continued efficacy will be revealed next month when I undergo a rescan to assess the tumor's reduction.”
Thurston disclosed that the cancerous cells previously found in her liver have “spontaneously vanished” and are no longer detectable in her imaging.
As Thurston looks ahead to the subsequent stage of her treatment, she maintains hope that her upcoming scan “next month” will show “no evidence of disease.” Should the results be favorable, she will be eligible for a double mastectomy.
“My double mastectomy is scheduled for November,” she stated, describing it as “an entirely new phase” about which she currently lacks “sufficient information.”
“Progress is being made, and we are adapting,” she commented.
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Earlier in the year, Thurston announced her breast cancer diagnosis, which followed the discovery of a “small mass” that persistently remained.
“My initial lump [which turned out to be a benign cyst] had the texture of a pea or marble, felt firm and unusual, yet caused no discomfort. The subsequent one felt bigger,” she recounted in February 2025. “The discomfort was intermittent at first, but after approximately 3-4 months of it persisting without improvement, I became concerned and consulted my physician.”
A month later, Thurston’s medical team confirmed that the cancer had metastasized to her liver, leading to a stage IV diagnosis.
