Katie Thurston, the beloved Bachelorette alum known for her radiant energy and no-nonsense charm, is facing a devastating new twist in her cancer battle. Just days after marrying comedian Jeff Arcuri in a quiet backyard ceremony, the 34-year-old revealed that her breast cancer treatment has been put on hold due to troubling spots found on her liver. Doctors fear this could shift her diagnosis from Stage 3 to Stage 4, a gut punch that has left her in limbo, clinging to hope and leaning hard on love.
Thurston shared the update with followers on her Instagram Boobie Broadcast Channel late Sunday, March 24. Her words were raw but composed as she wrote, “Spots were found on my liver, which has paused my upcoming treatment.” She had been preparing to begin an aggressive plan under the I-SPY clinical trial, with chemotherapy and surgery set to start Thursday, March 27. Instead, she now faces a biopsy on Friday to determine if those liver spots are cancerous. “My doctor believes they’re cancerous,” she added, “which would mean Stage 4.” The test results may take days to come back, and for now, she’s stuck in an agonizing wait.
This week was supposed to be filled with celebration. On March 22, Katie and Jeff said their vows in their New York backyard, with their dog Charlie and both sets of parents witnessing the intimate ceremony. She later shared a bittersweet Instagram story from Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, sipping a mocktail and joking, “Honeymoon vibes,” masking the storm that was quietly brewing beneath the surface.
Katie’s cancer journey began when she found a lump on her breast—a sore spot she initially dismissed as a result of PMS or a gym injury. “Most sites say cancer doesn’t hurt,” she explained during a tearful interview on Good Morning America last week, recalling how long she ignored the signs. After a mammogram, ultrasound, and biopsies, the truth landed hard on February 15: Stage 3 triple-positive ductal carcinoma. With no family history and no warning, she was blindsided. “You’re devastated,” she said. “It’s survival mode—you show up or you die.”
From the beginning, Katie faced her diagnosis with urgency and clarity. She underwent two weeks of IVF at RMA of New York to preserve her fertility, freezing eggs with Arcuri before chemotherapy could threaten that future. The procedure came with a $24,000 price tag—only half covered by insurance—but she didn’t hesitate. She then prepared for the I-SPY trial, a cutting-edge treatment path that involved customized chemo and surgery. She moved to New York on March 1 to be close to her doctors and start the fight. And then, just before it began, came the curveball.
Through every twist, Arcuri has remained at her side. The two got engaged in August 2024 during a beach trip to Kauai, and their love has only deepened since the diagnosis. “You’d think it’d tear us apart, but it’s bonded us,” he told Us Weekly shortly before their wedding. They moved up the date so her parents could attend, determined to stand together in the face of uncertainty. “He wanted to show he’s here to stay,” Katie said. Since then, Arcuri has postponed comedy gigs and become a constant companion in waiting rooms and hospital halls, always with a smile and a hand to hold.
Support from Bachelor Nation has also poured in. Former contestants like Blake Moynes and Tayshia Adams have flooded her social media with love and encouragement. “You’ve got this, Katie!” fans and friends have written, a steady chorus of belief that she’s openly thanked in her posts. “It’s keeping me going,” she’s said more than once.
If the biopsy results come back benign, Katie’s plan resumes—chemotherapy, surgery, and a chance at remission. But if the liver spots are malignant, she’ll be facing Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, a far tougher road with more uncertainty. “We now wait,” she wrote on Sunday, the kind of sentence no one wants to write or read. Her next biopsy is set for Friday, and answers may take several days.
Even amid the medical fog, Katie’s been urging others to act. On the Almost Famous podcast on March 19, she pleaded with listeners: “Don’t wait. Be proactive—you could save yourself.” Her experience is a sobering reminder that breast cancer is rising among young women, and symptoms can be deceptive. Her story may already be helping others catch their own early.
Katie Thurston has always faced challenges head-on. From boldly breaking norms on The Bachelorette to shutting down online hate with wit and fire, she’s never been one to shy away from the hard stuff. When she announced her diagnosis in February, she wrote, “I’m ready to fight.” That fight is tougher now, but her spirit hasn’t wavered. Fans across social are rallying behind her with posts like, “Katie’s a warrior,” and cheering her strength through every step.
She and Arcuri still plan a bigger wedding celebration this spring—an act of defiance, hope, and joy in the face of everything cancer has tried to steal.