“I’m nervous and a bit scared,” the Disney Channel alum said.

Christy Carlson Romano tearfully reveals positive cancer screening test results: ‘Very vulnerable time for me’

"I'm nervous and a bit scared," the Disney Channel alum said.

By Mekishana Pierre

Mekishana Pierre

Mekishana Pierre is a news writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on *Entertainment Tonight* and Popsugar.

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February 18, 2026 10:52 a.m. ET

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Christy Carlson Romano in 2024. Credit:

Andrew Toth/Getty

Former Disney star Christy Carlson Romano got vulnerable as she opened up about her results from a recent cancer screening.

The *Even Stevens* alum took to Instagram on Tuesday to discuss the discovery and her next steps after receiving a positive result.

Romano, 41, began the video by explaining that she and her husband Brendan Rooney decided to take the cancer screenings because her family has a history of the disease. Both of her parents were diagnosed with some form of cancer, and though her mother "beat it," Romano said her father "eventually didn't." Her maternal grandmother also died of lung cancer, she said.

"I got the results back a little bit before filming down in Florida," Romano said. "My husband's came back completely negative. Mine did not come back negative."

Christy Carlson Romano in 2022.

Emma McIntyre/Getty

The *Special Forces: World's Toughest Test* alum noted that positive results do not equate to an official diagnosis, explaining that her next step is to get a PET scan, which is an imaging test that uses a radioactive tracer to evaluate cellular, metabolic, and chemical changes in organs and tissues to help diagnose conditions such as cancer and heart disease, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Romano, who shares daughters Isabella, 9, and Sofia, 7, with Rooney, said she is "fighting with companies to get" the scan "covered."

She referenced the recent death of James Van Der Beek, who died on Feb. 11 at 48, more than a year after he shared his stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis with the public in November 2024.

"I live in Austin, and I was able to meet James Van Der Beek a bunch. His family's amazing. He's a pillar of our community in Texas," Romano said of the *Dawson's Creek* star, who lived on a sprawling 36-acre ranch on the outskirts of Austin with his wife Kimberly and their six children. "They always were raising money for the most amazing charities, and he's not with us anymore. Cancer is everywhere. Which is why I got this test."

Brendan Rooney and Christy Carlson Romano in 2023.

Rick Kern/WireImage

Despite her admission that the results have her "nervous and a bit scared," Romano told her followers she's trying to stay positive and focus on other things, like the movie she recently filmed and her upcoming memoir.

"Very vulnerable time for me," Romano said. "About 367 days since I got shot in the face... It's time to have a strong sense of faith and know that it's in God's hands, most of it. I'm sure people think I'm overreacting, but I'm not, because cancer is pretty serious, and I have two little girls."

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Romano went on to say that she knows "this is a very emotional post," but "when you're somebody like me, you kinda have to take life a day at a time, really be grateful for all the amazing stuff around you. That's why I always try to make jokes, and I try to be funny. Not just because I'm trying to be liked, or stay relevant. I don't share that a lot. So when my book comes out you're gonna find out a lot of stuff about me that you didn't know."

The actress ended her video with a vow to "keep fighting for answers" and saluted her "loving family," who are a constant source of support.

In her post's caption, Romano added that she's "nervous and a bit scared (heck who wouldn't be!)"

"I debated whether or not I was going to post this because I was afraid I'd come off 'cringe.' But I decided it was my duty to share, so that people get out there and get screenings," she wrote. "Let's keep the good vibes going and I will keep you all posted as I get more information 💪"

In the comments section, Rooney praised Romano for her strength, writing, "You got this my beautiful wife. We will figure this out and destroy any problem that comes your way. I love you beyond words."

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Other stars, like former *Catfish* host Kamie Crawford, actors Travis Van Winkle and Karan Ashley, and reality star Amber Lee Diamond also sent Romano some love in the comments.

"I love you to pieces and beyond. You know this but here for you every single step of the way - whatever you need mama ❤️," Diamond wrote, while Crawford commented, "Sending you so much love Christy 🥺🤍"

Winkle told Romano, "I frickin love you. So happy to know you. I’m sending you love right now and always." Ashley, known for her role as the Yellow Mighty Morphin Power Ranger, wrote, "Praying for you. Stay encouraged that modern medicine got you a possible early diagnosis. Sending so much love 💛"**

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