AceShowbiz - Katie Thurston, the former "Bachelorette" star, is opening up about her revised cancer treatment plan after receiving a pivotal second opinion. She shared her experiences and the unexpected changes in her treatment protocol.

Initially diagnosed with stage 3 invasive ductal carcinoma in February, the 34-year-old reality star was later informed that her cancer diagnosis was updated to stage 4. Her initial plan involved starting chemotherapy, but after transferring her care to a new hospital, it was discovered that her status was HER2-negative.

"Imagine you are 24 hours away from starting your first chemotherapy treatment, you have a port installed, you have a chemo bag ready to go, and then you get a call from your doctor that says, 'Hold on,' " she recounted in her April 10 Instagram video.

This new diagnosis allowed her the possibility of a different treatment approach. "Why's this important? Because of the type of cancer I have, this actually allows for an alternative treatment plan. This means no chemo," Thurston explained.

Her updated treatment now involves hormone-blocking therapy, including drugs like Kisqali, Letrozole, and Zoladex. This method aims to provide long-term control with fewer side effects.

One of the important lessons she learned from her journey was the importance of seeking a second opinion. "The one thing I want you to take from this video is to get a second opinion," Thurston emphasized.

"Could I need chemo in the future? Maybe. If this treatment stops working or if the cancer grows again, it's an option we'll revisit. We will closely monitor the treatment plan and make sure it's working for my body."

Besides treating her cancer, Thurston also took the significant step of undergoing IVF treatment to preserve her chances of future motherhood. "Chemo does impact your reproductive health. Knowing that we wanted kids in the future, we thought, 'OK, let's do IVF just to have that option,' " she previously told Us Weekly magazine.

The process resulted in 17 eggs being retrieved, with six becoming embryos. Throughout this process, Thurston's husband, Jeff Arcuri, has been a pillar of support, attending every appointment and administering each necessary IVF shot.

Thurston's courage and optimism amid a challenging diagnosis offer hope and inspiration to many. "Stage four can sound very scary, and it can be," she admitted. "However, I feel very optimistic about my outcome. I'm very confident in the team at Columbia."