Former Bachelorette star Katie Thurston posted an emotional update after just being diagnosed with breast cancer.
The 34-year-old revealed on Instagram on Friday that, after undergoing additional testing, doctors discovered that her cancer has spread to her liver.
Diagnosis Update: Cancer Has Spread
Thurston clarified that while the spots on her liver are tiny, the discovery has officially advanced her cancer to stage four.
“It is comparatively small,” she said. “But that does put me at stage four. But as of today, my new treatment plan is going to start next Friday. It does involve chemo.”
She also addressed questions about why treatment had not yet started, 43 days since her original diagnosis, explaining that there is a lot of testing and preparation that has to be completed before cancer treatment can start.
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Extensive Testing and New Treatment Plan
In the caption of her video, Thurston wrote, “There is a lot of testing and prep that goes into cancer treatment.”
She underwent a CT scan, bone density scan, blood work, MRI, and a PET scan, which is particularly useful in showing cancer spread.
“What’s nice about a PET scan is that sometimes it will pick up things that some of the other tests didn’t,” she said. “Unfortunately for me, it did pick up some spots on my liver that were somewhat suspicious.
Because of this, I did have to then do a liver biopsy to determine if my cancer has spread.”
After days of waiting, Thurston received the confirmation that her breast cancer had metastasized to her liver.
Her Cancer Journey
Thurston initially shared her diagnosis of Stage 3 triple positive ductal carcinoma with ABC News earlier this month. The cancer is explained as having tumor cells that contain estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and HER2 receptors on the cell surface, according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute.
She was diagnosed in February, just months after getting engaged to comedian Jeff Acuri. Despite the bad news, the two just tied the knot in an intimate backyard ceremony at their home on March 22.
Thurston has also decided to harvest her eggs as a precaution in case she and Acuri wish to have children in the future.
Staying Positive
Despite her stage four diagnosis, Thurston is remaining optimistic.
“I know stage four can be extremely scary, and it is, but due to the fact that I am triple positive and the spots on my liver are very small and caught early, I am extremely optimistic about my outcome,” she wrote.
She added that she was optimistic about her Columbia medical team and appreciated followers’ support.
Spreading Awareness
In her ABC News interview, Thurston emphasized the importance of early detection, advising others to “be proactive” about their health.
“You might be doing yourself a favor down the line,” she advised, recommending frequent check-ups and screenings.
Starting down this challenging path, Thurston is encouraging fans with her strength, tenacity, and determination to battle.
