What is the treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am 56 years old. I recently noticed a mass in my left breast. Upon screening through a mammogram and biopsy, it was diagnosed as ductal carcinoma in situ. Is it breast cancer or something benign? Doctors are giving me two treatment choices. Mastectomy or lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy. Which one do you think is better for my cancer? Which one of these treatments can offer me a greater prognosis and a lesser chance of recurrence? What are the possible complications that each of these options has? Do you have any other treatment choices for me to consider?

Please help me.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

Well, I am deeply concerned about your worries. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a type of very early breast cancer where cancer cells line your milk ducts within one or both breasts. Milk ducts are tubes that carry milk from the lobes of your breasts to your nipples so you can breastfeed. The cancer is “in situ,” or situated (contained) inside your milk ducts.

Healthcare providers may call DCIS noninvasive or pre-invasive breast cancer. This means that the cancer cells have not spread beyond the walls of your milk ducts. Ductal carcinoma in situ does not typically metastasize, or spread to other organs in your body, as aggressive or invasive cancers do.

While DCIS cannot spread outside of your breast, it can turn into invasive ductal carcinoma, which can spread outside of your breast in some cases. That is why talking to a healthcare provider is so important. They can discuss treatment options to help reduce this risk.

The risk of cancer in ductal carcinoma is less than 0.1 percent. Certain factors can increase your risk of ductal carcinoma in situ, such as:

A biological family history of breast cancer.
A personal history of breast cancer or atypical hyperplasia.
Being assigned female at birth (AFAB).
Being over age 30.
Getting your period before age 12.
Having a baby after 30.
Having dense breast tissue.
Having gene mutations associated with increased cancer risk (BRCA1, BRCA2 ).
Having had previous radiation therapy directed at your breasts or chest.
Never being pregnant or breastfeeding.
Starting menopause after age 55.

Investigation of ductal carcinoma.

Mammogram - In addition to a routine screening mammogram, your healthcare provider might order a diagnostic mammogram. This test provides more detailed views of your breast tissue. It takes longer than a screening mammogram.
Breast biopsy- Healthcare providers use this test to confirm that cancer cells are in your breast.

Treatment:

Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) or lumpectomy removes all cancer cells, along with healthy breast tissue bordering the cancer growth. Removing small amounts of nearby healthy tissue increases the chance that no abnormal cells are left behind. Your provider will leave most of your breasts intact.
Radiation therapy typically follows BCS. Some people need this therapy for a few days, others for a few weeks. Your healthcare provider can tell you about your personalized treatment plan.
Mastectomy removes the entire affected breast or both breasts (double mastectomy). You may need a mastectomy if you’re not a candidate for BCS. Mastectomy may be a better option if the cancer has spread throughout multiple milk ducts or if a tumor is especially large.

I hope you are satisfied with my answer. If you have further queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you.