Boy Meets World star Danielle Fishel has been diagnosed with Stage 0 breast cancer, also known as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), after a routine mammogram.

 

Fishel, 43, shared the news with her podcast cohosts, Rider Strong and Will Friedle, in a recent episode of Pod Meets World.

 

“It is very, very, very early. It’s technically Stage 0,” Fishel said. “I was diagnosed with high grade DCIS. I’m going to be fine. I’m having surgery to remove it. I’m going to be on some follow-up treatment.”

On Instagram, she posted a video thanking fans and family for their support and stressing the importance of cancer screenings and early detection.

DCIS is a noninvasive and curable form of cancer (carcinoma) that originates in the cells lining in the milk ducts and has not spread (in situ, which mean in its original place). Though alarming, it is not life-threatening. DCIS is the earliest stage of breast cancer, which is why it is sometimes referred to as Stage 0 breast cancer.

 

In the United States, DCIS annually affects more than 55,700 women. In fact, about 20% of new breast cancers diagnosed in the United States are DCIS, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

 

Most people do not experience any symptoms from DCIS. In rare cases, some women may feel a lump in their breast or have nipple discharge, according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). Without obvious symptoms, routine mammograms are crucial for early detection and timely treatment.

 

"The only reason I caught this cancer when it is still Stage 0 is because the day I got my text message that my yearly mammogram came up, I made the appointment,” said Fishel, who starred in the Boy Meets Worldseries spinoff Girl Meets World.

 

Most patients with Stage 0 breast cancer have been cured, according to BCRF. The 10-year survival rate is 98%. In most cases, the tumor is removed and radiation therapy is administered afterward.

 

“They found it so, so, so early that I’m going to be fine,” Fishel said. “So I want to share this because I hope that it will encourage anyone to get in there. If it’s time for your appointment, if you’ve never had an appointment before, get in there. If you have to find out that you have cancer, find out when it’s at Stage 0, if possible.”

 

Regular screening for breast cancer can detect the disease early, when it is easier to treat.

 

Women at average risk for breast cancer should begin mammogram screening at age 40 instead of 50, according to updated guidelines issued earlier this year by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

 

The new guidance builds on the 2016 recommendations, which called for women at average risk to receive mammograms every other year from age 50 to age 74 and advised those between ages 40 and 50 to make individual decisions about screening with their health care providers based on their personal needs and preferences.

 

The update is supported by a review of additional medical research published over the past decade, which includes more studies of breast cancer in younger women.

 

Risk factors for DCIS are the same as any other type of breast cancer. They include:

 

  • Genetic mutations (including BRCA1 and BRCA2);
  • Family history of breast cancer;
  • Early onset of menstruation or early menopause;
  • No full-term pregnancies or first pregnancy at an older age;
  • Not being physically active;
  • Overweight or obesity, especially after menopause;
  • Use of oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy;
  • Previous radiation therapy;
  • Drinking alcohol.

 

Fishel said she had always thought she would “suffer in silence” if she were diagnosed with cancer but was inspired by author Glennon Doyle to publicly discuss her breast cancer and spread awareness to others. She added that she has some big decisions to make about treatment options and may have to put some projects on hold while doing so.

 

To read more, click #Breast Cancer. There, you’ll find headlines such as “Older Women Are Different Than Older Men. Their Health Is Woefully Understudied,” “New Breast Cancer Imaging Technology Receives Historic FDA Approval” and “How Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tools Work.”