Danielle Fishel has revealed that she’s been diagnosed with breast cancer.
The 43-year-old actor spoke candidly about her physical health during Monday’s episode of her and her Boy Meets World co-stars Rider Strong and Will Friedle’s podcast, Pod Meets World. Fishel started the episode by telling listeners he wanted “to share something” with them, noting that Strong and Friedle were two of the “first people” she told this news to.
“I was recently diagnosed with DCIS, which stands for ductal carcinoma in situ, which is a form of breast cancer. It is very, very, very early. It’s technically stage zero,” she said. “To be specific, just because I like too much information all the time, I was diagnosed with high-grade DCIS with microinvasion.”
Fishel – who played Topanga Lawrence in the hit 1990s show and its 2014 spinoff, Girl Meets World – added: “I’m going to be fine. I’m having surgery to remove it. I’m going to be on some follow-up treatment.”
According to John Hopkins Medicine, DCIS is an early form of breast cancer that “affects the cells of the milk ducts in the breast.” The condition causes “the cells lining the milk ducts to turn malignant but stay in place (in situ).” Often, DCIS is treated with surgery and sometimes radiation and medicine, but chemotherapy isn’t needed.
During the podcast episode, Fishel also revealed why she shared her breast cancer diagnosis, encouraging people to go to their annual mammogram appointments.
“The only reason I caught this cancer when it is still stage zero is because the day I got my text message that my yearly mammogram had come up, I made the appointment,” the Disney Channel alum continued.
She also noted that while she’s “so good” with going to her annual doctor’s appointments, it would be “so much easier” to skip them if needed, given her busy professional and personal life, as she’s the mother of two children, Adler, five, and Keaton, two, who she shares with Jensen Karp.
However, she ultimately decided to get her mammogram this year and “make that appointment,” which was when she first discovered her cancer.
“They found it so, so, so early that I’m going to be fine. I hope it will encourage anyone to get in there, if it’s time for your appointment or if you’ve never had an appointment before,” she said. “If you have to find out you have cancer, find out at stage zero if possible.”
She also noted that she’s still figuring out her treatment plans, as she has oncologists, radiation specialists, and doctors she needs to meet with. However, she wanted her “dear listeners” to know about her cancer because it could affect the podcast.
“I have some big decisions ahead of me about what I want to do for treatment. I don’t have all the answers yet,” the actor added. “We’re going to try and have it not affect things, as far as our scheduling goes. I’m going to try to make it for every episode, but there are possibilities we may have to put things on hold depending on what treatments I go through.”
After emphasizing that she would be fine, her podcast hosts expressed they’d support her in any way they could. Strong also encouraged fans to go to their annual doctor’s appointments.
“It’s mind-boggling. Right now, my wife and I know four people – four friends – who are dealing with breast cancer,” he said. “Definitely get checked.”
Friedle agreed, adding: “For men, too, prostate exams and colonoscopies… don’t put them off.”
According to the American Cancer Society, women aged 45 to 54 should get mammograms yearly. Women between the ages of 40 and 44 can start getting mammograms every year, with women 55 or older given the option to switch to a mammogram every other year.
