What is DCIS? Boys Meets World star Danielle Fishel reveals breast cancer diagnosis

Famous for playing Topanga Lawrence on Boy Meets World, actress Danielle Fishel disclosed on her podcast Pod Meets World that, at 43, she had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.

Danielle Fishel revealed her diagnosis of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS), a non-invasive form of breast cancer, on the August 19 show, stating that it is "technically stage zero." Alongside co-hosts Rider Strong and Will Friedle, the mother of two further revealed,

“So I would like to share something with our listeners … I was recently diagnosed with DCIS which is a form of breast cancer.”

Danielle Fishel then added,

“It is very, very, very early. It's technically stage zero. I was diagnosed with high grade DCIS with micro invasion. And I'm going to be fine, I'm having surgery to remove it.”

Ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS, is an extremely early stage of breast cancer. It is a non-invasive or precancerous breast lesion that is also referred to as intraductal carcinoma.

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Actress Danielle Fishel is suffering from DCIS, the early stages of breast cancer

Danielle Fishel called it the Stage 0 (Image via Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for New Bloom Media)

The cancer cells in DCIS or ductal carcinoma in situ are restricted to the breast's milk duct. The breast tissue has not been invaded by the cancerous cells. This type of breast cancer is sometimes referred to as stage 0 or noninvasive.

It rarely manifests as a breast lump that can be felt, instead, screening mammography is usually used to identify it. There is little chance that DCIS will expand and pose a threat to life. Unlike aggressive or invasive tumors, DCIS seldom metastasizes or spreads to other organs in the body.

DCIS may occasionally become invasive and spread to other tissues, but it is impossible to predict which lesions will remain stable and which will eventually become invasive in the absence of treatment. It does, however, necessitate a diagnosis and treatment.

DCIS is a frequent form of breast cancer in women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB). It is uncommon for men and individuals designated male at birth (AMAB) to develop DCIS.

In most cases, DCIS has no symptoms. A breast lump, itchy skin, nipple discharge (such as blood), soreness, and an inverted nipple are among the few symptoms that some patients with DCIS may experience.

Other possible symptoms include ridges or pitting of the breast, where the skin resembles that of an orange, a lump or thickening in or near the breast or under the arm, or changes in the appearance or feel of the skin of the breast, such as warmth, swelling, redness, or scaliness.

Still, imaging tests such as mammography can diagnose more than 90% of DCIS cases. Although the exact cause of the aberrant cell proliferation in DCIS is unknown, a number of variables may raise the risk.

Age is among the most important factors for developing the risk of DCIS. A family history of breast cancer, having a child after the age of 30, beginning menopause after the age of 55, having previously received radiation treatment to the breasts or chest, and having gene abnormalities linked to an elevated risk of breast cancer (BRCA 1 and BRCA 2) are possible additional factors.

Divergent views exist about the optimal course of treatment for DCIS. The National Cancer Institute advises surgery for DCIS, either alone or in combination with tamoxifen and further radiation therapy.

However, without the treatment, the National Institutes of Health estimates that 3% of women with DCIS may die from breast cancer in the next 20 years, young women and Black women are more at risk.

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Talking about her DCIS, the Boy Meets World star Danielle Fishel further said,

“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.”

Danielle Fishel then acknowledged that, in the past, she had thought that, should she receive a cancer diagnosis, she would "struggle in silence" and wait to inform her "small group" of friends and family until after her treatment was over.

Nevertheless, Danielle Fishel didn’t say anything else about the issue.