Danielle Fishel discusses her journey with breast cancer: ‘Living is painful right now’
Danielle Fishel, known for her role in “Boy Meets World,” has updated fans on her fight against breast cancer.
During a recent episode of her “Pod Meets World” podcast, the 43-year-old actress announced that she has completed her radiation therapy, marking the end of her “active cancer treatment.”
Fishel, who gained fame as Topanga Lawrence in “Boy Meets World,” revealed last August that she had been diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, a form of breast cancer that is caught at an early stage. She mentioned that her diagnosis was very early, categorizing it as “technically stage zero,” and noted that she did not require chemotherapy.
Her next treatment step involves starting Tamoxifen, a medication recognized by the Cleveland Clinic for significantly lowering the chances of cancer returning or developing into an invasive form. However, she stated that her doctors advised her to wait until she has “fully recovered from the side effects of radiation.”
Fishel continued to discuss the challenges she’s been facing after undergoing 20 rounds of radiation. She described experiencing severe sunburn-like symptoms and an itchy rash that prevents her from finding relief. The pain has made her daily activities difficult.
“It hurts whether I wear a bra or not,” she shared. “Sleeping on my side is painful, and honestly, just being awake is tough.”
“But, I know this pain won’t be permanent. I’m expected to improve physically day by day.”
The actress also mentioned her overwhelming fatigue, adding that her doctors indicated the exhaustion is related to her initial radiation treatment and that she’ll start feeling better in “two to three months.” She noted that staying active and hydrating could help speed up her recovery.
“I’m sorry, so you expect me to be exhausted and take care of myself?” she chuckled, while also mentioning that she’s been following the advice by working out lately.
As per information from the Mayo Clinic, ductal carcinoma in situ is generally low in terms of spreading and becoming life-threatening, and treatment could involve surgery, radiation, or hormone therapy.
When announcing her diagnosis last year, Fishel urged her followers to prioritize annual mammograms, emphasizing how crucial they were in her early detection.
“The sole reason I discovered this cancer when it was still at stage zero is that I took immediate action when I received my notification for my annual mammogram,” she explained. “They caught it at such an early stage that I will be okay. I want to relay this message to encourage everyone to get tested.”