Published Feb 18, 2026, 12:18 PM EST
Based in Los Angeles, Mona began her entertainment career in 2015, building experience across digital media and journalism. She has worked with major entertainment brands including iHeartMedia, E! News, Entertainment Tonight, and TMZ/TooFab, contributing to interviews, source development, and editorial production. Her writing even helped her team earn an Emmy Award at Entertainment Tonight. She has been an Entertainment & People News Reporter at ScreenRant since 2026.
Christy Carlson Romano is sharing a major update about her health.
The Even Stevens star, who came to fame after starring in the Disney sitcom alongside Shia LaBeouf, took to Instagram Tuesday, where she revealed that she recently received a positive result from a cancer screening test that has her rattled.
"I got the results back a little bit before filming down in Florida," Romano shared. "My husband's came back completely negative. Mine did not come back negative."
Romano made clear that the results do not necessarily mean an official cancer diagnosis, telling her more than 800,000 followers that while she may have "stageable cancer," the next step is to get a PET scan — an imaging test that detects early signs of cancer, heart disease, and brain conditions. It involves an injection of a safe radioactive tracer that helps detect diseased cells.
"I'm sure people think I'm overreacting," the 41-year-old, who shares daughters Isabella, 9, and Sofia, 7, with husband Brendan Rooney, went on to note.
But I'm not, because cancer is pretty serious. Man, I have two little girls.
As for what prompted Romano to get the test, the TV and film star explained that a history of cancer in her family, coupled with the recent death of friend and fellow actor, James Van Der Beek, who passed away on February 11 at age 48 following a years long battle with colorectal cancer, inspired the move.
I was able to meet James Van Der Beek a bunch. His family's amazing. He's a pillar of our community in Texas. They always were raising money for the most amazing charities, and he's not with us anymore, and cancer is everywhere, which is why I got this test.
"I kind of was in disbelief about it, because I was filming, and I was so happy to be back on set," Romano continued, sharing that once she got back from Florida, where she had been shooting an unnamed movie, she shifted her focus back to her health. And while the Kim Possible star said she was both "nervous and a bit scared" about her screening results, she's been doing her best to remain positive and focus on everything going well in her life, including her upcoming memoir.
Time to have a strong sense of faith and know that it's in God's hands — most of it.
She continued, "When you're somebody like me, you gotta take life a day at a time, really be grateful for all the amazing stuff around you. So know that I have a loving family around me to support me, and gonna keep fighting for answers and eventually giving you updates."
Romano was met with lots of support in the comments, including from her husband, who commented, "You got this my beautiful wife. We will figure this out and destroy any problem that comes your way. I love you beyond words." Carlson's former co-star, Travis Van Winkle, also commented, writing, "Christy! I frickin love you. So happy to know you. I'm sending you love right now and always," as well as Power Mighty Morphin Rangers star, Karan Ashley, who added, "Praying for you. Stay encouraged that modern medicine got you a possible early diagnosis. Sending so much love 💛."
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