About Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast is an early, localized cluster of cancer cells that start in the milk passages (ducts) but have not penetrated the duct walls into the surrounding tissue. The term "in situ" refers to a tumor that has not spread beyond the place where it originally developed. By definition, DCIS is a non-invasive form of breast cancer because the cancer cells are confined to the milk ducts of the breast.

Ductal carcinoma in situ is sometimes described as "pre-cancerous", "pre-invasive", "non-invasive", or "intraductal carcinoma". Although, by definition, DCIS is a non-invasive form of breast cancer, if left untreated, it may progress to 'true' breast cancer by spreading into and invading the surrounding healthy breast tissue. Because doctors cannot predict with any degree of certainty whether DCIS will develop into invasive breast cancer, early diagnosis and treatment is crucial. With appropriate treatment, the prognosis (outlook) for women with DCIS is excellent.

Fortunately, DCIS can often be detected on screening mammography before any symptoms develop. Ductal carcinoma in situ usually appears on mammography as an area of microcalcification (groups of small calcifications clustered together within the breast). With the increased availability of mammography, breast cancers are being detected earlier.

In the past, most women with ductal carcinoma in situ had a mass large enough to be felt or had nipple discharge before the diagnosis could be made. Since screening mammography became more widely available in the 1980s, many cases of DCIS are discovered before any symptoms develop and the average size of DCIS has been reduced to 10 mm at the time of discovery. It has been estimated that DCIS accounts for about 20% of all mammographically detected breast cancers.

When an abnormal area has been detected by mammography and ductal carcinoma in situ is suspected, the diagnosis must be confirmed by removing a sample from the suspicious area of the breast and examining the specimen under a microscope. This procedure is known as a diagnostic biopsy. Traditionally, most cases of mammographically detected, nonpalpable DCIS have been diagnosed by a procedure known as wire-localization open surgical biopsy. Recently, a more accurate diagnostic biopsy technique for women with suspected DCIS has been developed called directional vacuum-assisted biopsy (DVAB). Currently, there are three types of DVAB systems available:

  • Mammotome
  • Spirotome
  • Minimally Invasive Breast Biopsy (MIBB)

The primary goals of treatment of DCIS is prevention of local recurrence and invasive breast cancer. When breast-conserving surgery is appropriate, the goals of treatment include the total surgical removal of the DCIS with minimal cosmetic deformity.

Current treatment options for women with DCIS include:

  • Surgery alone (mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery)
  • Breast-conserving surgery followed by radiation therapy
  • Breast-conserving surgery followed by radiation therapy and hormonal therapy.

As noted, most women who are diagnosed with DCIS by screening mammography have no clinical symptoms of the disease (such as a palpable breast mass). Because most DCIS lesions that are detected mammographically are small, there has been a shift in recent years from mastectomy to breast-conserving surgery. In fact, at the present time, in the United States most women with DCIS are treated with breast-conserving surgery.

The rate of tumor recurrence in women with ductal carcinoma in situ has been estimated to be approximately 0.5% to 1% per year. Although research suggests that the rates of local or regional recurrence are significantly lower after mastectomy than after breast-conserving surgery, the 10-year survival rate is approximately 98% with each of these surgical procedures.


The Medifocus Guidebook on Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast is a unique, comprehensive patient education resource that contains vital information about Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast that you won't find anywhere else in a single resource. The Guidebook will answer many of your questions about this condition that your healthcare provider may not have the time to answer. To learn more about the Guidebook, please click here
 

About the Medifocus Guidebook on Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast, it's important to learn as much as you possibly can about this condition so that you can make informed decisions about your treatment.

The Medifocus Guidebook on Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast is a unique and comprehensive patient education resource that contains vital information about Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast that you won't find anywhere else in a single source. Available both as a Soft-Cover Book and as an E-Book (PDF), the Guidebook will answer many of your questions about Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast, including:

  • The causes and risk factors for Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast.
  • The clinical signs and symptoms.
  • The diagnostic tests and procedures that are necessary to confirm the diagnosis of Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast.
  • The standard treatments and the treatment options currently available for the management of Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast.
  • The impact of Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast on quality of life.
  • The latest clinical and research advances for Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast as reported in credible, trustworthy medical journals.
  • A directory of doctors and medical centers that have special interest and clinical expertise in the management of patients with Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast.
  • A listing of organizations where patients can seek additional information, services, and support.

Whether you've been newly diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast or have suffered with it for several years, the Medifocus Guidebook on Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast can serve as a valuable resource to help you better understand and cope with this condition. When you purchase your copy of either the Soft-Cover Book or the E-Book (PDF), you will also receive Free Updates for one-year.

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Testimonials

The MediFocus Guidebook on DCIS was more than adequate for my research on this condition and I would recommend it to anyone wanting the "whole picture". Thank you for providing this excellent service.
Los Angeles, California
At a very difficult time, your MediFocus Guidebook on Ductal Carcinoma in Situ helped our family make informed decisions. Thank you for your help!
Metarie, Louisiana
I was recently diagnosed with DCIS and was looking everywhere for information to get myself educated. The MediFocus Guidebook was very helpful in clarifying everything for me. The information is so well organized that it makes it easy to read and understand. I feel much better now that I've read this Guidebook and have a clearer understanding of the issues that I face. I highly recommend this Guidebook to anyone seeking to understand DCIS.
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
After being diagnosed with DCIS we were very scared and immediately set off to find information on the Internet. Of course we found hundreds, if not thousands of websites and were very overwhelmed. Luckily, we happened to find the Medifocus Guidebook site and it was the best investment we could have made. It was easy to read and really summarized everything very thoroughly. The report provided access to many websites that contained RECENT and RELEVANT information! As a result, we felt educated and knowledgeable about the disease and ultimately empowered to ask questions and consult with our physician intelligently. We highly recommend Medifocus Guidebooks!
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania