Ductal carcinoma in situ

Editor-In-Chief: Prab R Tumpati, MD
Obesity, Sleep & Internal medicine
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Ductal carcinoma in situ
Synonyms	DCIS
Pronounce	N/A
Specialty	N/A
Symptoms	Usually none, sometimes a breast lump or nipple discharge
Complications	Invasive breast cancer
Onset	Typically after age 50
Duration	Variable
Types	Comedo, non-comedo
Causes	Genetic mutations, hormonal factors
Risks	Family history, BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations, hormone replacement therapy
Diagnosis	Mammography, biopsy
Differential diagnosis	Invasive ductal carcinoma, lobular carcinoma in situ
Prevention	Regular screening, lifestyle modifications
Treatment	Surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy
Medication	N/A
Prognosis	Excellent with treatment
Frequency	Common in women over 50
Deaths	N/A

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a non-invasive form of breast cancer where abnormal cells have been found in the lining of the breast milk duct. The atypical cells have not spread outside of the ducts into the surrounding breast tissue. Ductal Carcinoma In Situ is very early cancer that is highly treatable, but if it’s left untreated or undetected, it can spread into the surrounding breast tissue.

Symptoms

DCIS itself does not cause symptoms. It is often detected during a mammogram as part of a regular screening program.

Causes

The exact cause of DCIS is unknown. However, it is known that cancer arises when a cell's DNA is damaged. Factors that may increase your risk of DCIS include age, a personal history of benign (noncancerous) breast disease, a family history of breast cancer, inherited genes that increase the risk of breast cancer, radiation exposure, and hormone therapy.

Diagnosis

DCIS is usually found during a mammogram done as part of a routine screening program. If an abnormal area is seen on the mammogram, a biopsy may be done to check for cancer cells.

Treatment

Treatment options for DCIS include lumpectomy in combination with radiation therapy, mastectomy, and hormone therapy.

Prognosis

The prognosis for DCIS is generally very good. Since DCIS is a non-invasive cancer, it is highly treatable. However, it is important to have regular check-ups after treatment to ensure that the cancer has not returned or spread.

Gallery

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  Breast DCIS histopathology

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  Diagram showing ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)

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  Ductal carcinoma in situ

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  Mammogram microcalcifications in carcinoma in situ

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  Histopathology of dystrophic microcalcifications in ductal carcinoma in situ

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  Histopathologic architectural patterns of DCIS

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  Histopathology of high-grade DCIS

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  Histopathology of microinvasive ductal carcinoma in situ

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  Immunohistochemistry with calponin in ductal carcinoma in situ

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  Histopathology of ductal carcinoma in situ with comedo necrosis

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  Pie chart of incidence and prognosis of histopathologic breast cancer types

See also

• Breast cancer
• Mammogram
• Lumpectomy
• Mastectomy
• Hormone therapy

References

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