DUCTAL CARCINOMA IN SITU OF THE BREAST

Increasing use of screening mammography has yielded increased numbers of patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). However, the optimal treatment of DCIS remains controversial, in contrast to invasive breast cancer. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 580 women patients with breast cancer who were treated from 1990 to 1997 at Ankara University Medical School, department of Surgical Oncology. It was seen that 26 patients had DCIS. The present study was undertaken to review the results of our experience in patients with DCIS. Age of the patients ranged from 29 to 70 years, with a mean age of 49 years. Fifteen patients had a palpable mass, while in the others DCIS was detected by stereotaxic breast biopsy. There were comedo DCIS in 9 patients and noncomedo DCIS in 17. Among the patiens, 21 were treated with mastectomy, others underwent breast conservation therapy. Although mastectomy has been the traditional and acceptable treatment for patients with DCIS, it is suggested that breast conserving therapy may be a safe treatment of choice for especially noncomedo DCIS in preference to mastectomy such as invasive breast cancer.