‘Cancer F***ing Sucks’: ‘Bachelorette’ Star Katie Thurston Details Memory Loss From Breast Cancer Treatment

The Bachelorette's Katie Thurston has been regularly keeping fans updated during her journey with stage 4 breast cancer, an advanced phase of the condition. While hair loss, fatigue, and nausea are common symptoms during treatment, the reality TV star just revealed she's also been dealing with another surprising side effect: memory loss.

The 34-year-old shared the news on Instagram during a “weekly check-in” video with fans about how she’s doing. “I just finished my second month of treatment, and if you’re asking how long treatment is, technically forever,” she said. “I am optimistic about medical advancements in the future; fingers crossed as a stage 4 girly.”

Thurston shared that her hair is “coming out in unnatural clumps” and that she’s “working on that.” But she also revealed that she's having difficulty remembering certain things—a common side effect of chemotherapy, colloquially known as "chemo brain."

“I’m losing my memory,” she said. “That’s great—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. I don’t remember.'" Thurston also said that she and her husband Jeff Arcuri recently had “a little disagreement” due to her memory complications. “I was like, 'This has happened before.' He was like, 'When?' I was like, 'I don’t know but I know it has!'" she said. While this side effect is understandably frustrating, "we’re able to laugh about it now," Thurston adds.

Additionally, Thurston revealed that she stopped using Zoladex—an implant used to treat advanced breast cancers related to hormones (such as HR+ breast cancer)—because it didn't work for her. She's since switched to another medication called Lupron (brand name leuprolide), which lowers levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone in the body.

Through it all, Thurston has remained honest with fans about the emotional roller coaster she's been on. "Cancer is s***," she said. “Sometimes I’m like, 'Stop feeling bad for yourself.' Other times I’m like, 'You’re allowed to feel bad for yourself. Cancer f***ing sucks.'"

Several people in the comments of Thurston's video could relate, saying they've also dealt with memory issues during cancer treatment. Here's what healthcare providers have to say about "chemo brain," including why it happens, how it manifests, and what to do if it happens to you.

It’s well-known in the medical community that cancer treatment can impact memory

Turns out, "chemo brain" is an actual medical condition also known as cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), says Christopher Cann, MD, an oncologist and director of the Young Adult Cancer Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center.¹ "Chemo brain" causes “dysfunction” in different areas of thinking, including memory, executive function (i.e., the ability to plan and organize thoughts), attention, language, processing speed, new language, and visuospatial skills (i. e., the ability to see objects in relation to each other), he says.²

While data is mixed on how common "chemo brain" is, one study in Frontiers in Oncology suggests that up to 75 percent of people with cancer experience CRCI.³ But what exactly is behind it? A few factors might be at play.

For one, cancer treatment may cause “high levels of systemic inflammation, which can affect memory,” says Heather Jim, PhD, cancer side effect researcher and associate center director of Population Science at Moffitt Cancer Center.

Also, people with HR+ breast cancers, like Thurston, tend to need certain therapies to either block or reduce estrogen production to try and suppress cancer cells. But "we know that estrogen is very important for cognitive function and memory, in particular, given the distribution of estrogen receptors in regions of the brain essential for learning and memory," says Jeffrey Wefel, PhD, chief of neuropsychology at MD Anderson Cancer Center.⁴ (Medications like Lupron, which Thurston is taking, reduce estrogen in the body.)

In other words, when estrogen production is lowered or blocked in the body, memory can be impacted, says Jack Jacoub, MD, oncologist and medical director of MemorialCare Cancer Institute at Orange Coast and Saddleback Medical Centers in Orange County, California. 

This effect can be more noticeable in younger women, Dr. Jacoub says. "When you have a young woman who is accustomed to having a lot of estrogen and you put them into [medically-induced] menopause, they may complain of memory issues,” he says. (He points out that men may also experience this when they take medications to block testosterone production as part of cancer treatment.⁵)

'Chemo brain' can look different for everyone

The symptoms of CRCI vary by person. "Patients commonly describe forgetfulness, difficulty with word finding, slowed thought processes, and trouble multi-tasking," Dr. Wefel says. "These changes can interfere with occupational, scholastic, familial, and social roles, leading to distress and reduced quality of life," he adds.

While Thurston’s experience sounds extreme, Dr. Jacoub says that CRCI causes "slight cognitive issues, like forgetting where you put your keys" for most people who go through it.

This side effect can linger longer

Everyone's experience with "chemo brain" is different, however, the Frontiers in Oncology study notes the side effect can last for years after someone stops therapy. Specifically, people with breast cancer are most likely to report this complication, with some reporting memory issues lasting five to 10 years after stopping chemo or radiation therapy, per the study.

"For many patients, the symptoms may improve over time, though they may never go away completely," Dr. Wefel says. That doesn’t mean CRCI is guaranteed to last that long, though. "Often, cognitive problems such as memory, problems with word-finding or attention, or problems with sense of direction are worst during treatment and then gradually improve once treatment is over,” Dr. Jim says. 

There are some relief options that can help

There is no proven medication or treatment plan to tackle memory issues related to cancer, Dr. Cann says. However, he points out that studies targeting this side effect (and cancer in general) are ongoing, including a trial that will start soon at his cancer center.

"We recommend patients remain as active physically and mentally as possible during chemotherapy to maintain physical and mental fitness," Dr. Cann says. Dr. Jacoub also suggests doing your best to continue to try to keep your brain sharp with things like reading and doing puzzles. "That’s the most important thing you can do—engage your mind," he says.

But ultimately, Dr. Cann recommends that people going through this be gentle with themselves. "It is important for patients to give themselves grace, as their body and mind are going through significant stress during this time," he says.