AceShowbiz - Danielle Fishel, the star of the iconic '90s sitcom "Boy Meets World", has shared some pivotal health news with her fans. On the August 19 episode of her podcast, "Pod Meets World", Fishel revealed her recent diagnosis with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a form of breast cancer.

The 43-year-old actress updated her listeners about her condition, noting that it is a "very, very, very early" stage and is technically categorized as stage zero. "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," Fishel explained.

According to the American Cancer Society, about one in five new breast cancers are DCIS, which has an impressive 98% survival rate after ten years. Fishel's diagnosis is a high-grade DCIS with micro-invasion, which required her to make quick decisions about her treatment plan. "I'm going to be fine," she assured her listeners. "I'm having surgery to remove it. I'm going to be on some follow-up treatment."

Fishel decided to go public with her diagnosis after initially contemplating keeping it private. She discovered that sharing experiences at the start or in the "messy middle" of one's journey can be profoundly educational and supportive.

"For some reason I had always thought [if I were diagnosed with cancer] I would suffer in silence. I would get the diagnosis, I would not tell anyone," she admitted on her podcast. However, conversations with others who had similar experiences encouraged her to share her story to raise awareness.

"The fact that I am good about going to my doctor's appointments when, truthfully, it would be so much easier with as busy as I am ... it would be so easy to say, 'I don't have time for that. I went to my mammogram last year, I was fine,' " Fishel pointed out.

Her proactive approach has potentially life-saving implications, as early detection of DCIS is crucial for effective treatment and prevention of invasive breast cancer.

Fishel stood out as Topanga Lawrence on "Boy Meets World", and later reprised her role in the spinoff "Girl Meets World". She's married to producer Jensen Karp and is a mother of two.

By sharing her journey, Fishel hopes to inspire others to prioritize their health and undergo regular checkups. "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 zero, if possible," she emphasized.

Regular checkups and early detection can make a world of difference, and Danielle Fishel's story serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of taking proactive steps towards health and wellness.