“Boy Meets World” star Danielle Fishel revealed on Monday that she has been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.
“I was recently diagnosed with ductal intracellular carcinoma of the breast, or DCIS,” she said at the start of the latest episode of her podcast, “Pod Meets World.” “It’s still very, very, very early on. Stage 0 to be exact.”
“I’m OK. I’m going to have surgery to remove the tumor and then I’ll continue with treatment,” added Fishel, who played Topanga Lawrence on the hit ’90s sitcom.
DCIS is a type of early, non-invasive breast cancer that affects the cells in the milk ducts within the breast, and although it can sometimes be detected by a mammogram, it usually doesn’t cause symptoms, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Patients who receive timely treatment and diagnosis have a good prognosis. However, if left untreated, the cancer can become invasive and spread to other parts of the body.
Danielle Fishel said she went public about her cancer diagnosis in the hopes of helping others.
Michael Tran (via Getty Images)
Fishel, 43, told listeners that she initially wanted to share her diagnosis with only a select few, but after thinking about it, she realized that cancer patients and survivors have a lot to gain from sharing their experiences.
“I was able to find out this cancer at stage 0 because I made an appointment the day I got a text saying it was time for my annual mammogram,” she said, noting that as a working mother of two, “it’s easy to say, ‘I don’t have time. I had a mammogram last year. I was fine last year. I don’t need to go.'”
“I want to share this because I want everyone to be inspired to go there when it’s time to book,” she added, “If you’ve never booked before, please go there.”
Fishel said some big decisions still need to be made.
“I still have doctors I need to see. Oncologist, radiologist, hormone therapist, a bunch of decisions I need to make,” she said, letting listeners know that she plans to be on every episode of the podcast if she can.
Her friends and fellow hosts, “Boy Meets World” co-stars Will Friedle and Rider Strong (who she said were the two first to find out about the cancer), said they are supportive and accepting of whatever Fishel wants.