What size DCIS is considered large?
Small DCIS tumors (<1.0 cm) with negative margins carry a low risk of local failure and can be treated conservatively with lumpectomy. Large DCIS tumors (⩾2.5 cm) pose a particular risk of residual disease regardless of margin status, and additional adjuvant therapy may be necessary.
How aggressive is DCIS?
DCIS found by a doctor’s exam is likely to be more aggressive than DCIS found by a regular screening mammogram. According to the researchers, DCIS found by an exam is more often hormone-receptor-negative and HER2-positive. High-grade DCIS also is likely to be more aggressive than low-grade DCIS.
Does size of DCIS matter?
The larger the area of DCIS, the more likely it is to come back (recur) after surgery. Doctors use information about the size of the DCIS when recommending further treatments.
Can DCIS present as a lump?
DCIS doesn’t typically have any signs or symptoms. However, DCIS can sometimes cause signs such as: A breast lump.
Can DCIS lead to other cancers?
In some cases, DCIS may become invasive cancer and spread to other tissues. At this time, because of concerns that a small proportion of the lesions could become invasive, nearly all women diagnosed with DCIS currently receive some form of treatment.
Can you get DCIS twice?
Most recurrences happen within the 5 to 10 years after initial diagnosis. The chances of a recurrence are under 30%. Women who have breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy) for DCIS without radiation therapy have about a 25% to 30% chance of having a recurrence at some point in the future.
How serious is DCIS?
DCIS isn’t life-threatening, but having DCIS can increase the risk of developing an invasive breast cancer later on. When you have had DCIS, you are at higher risk for the cancer coming back or for developing a new breast cancer than a person who has never had breast cancer before.
What does DCIS lump feel like?
Although DCIS does not usually come with a noticeable lump, the doctor may be able to feel an abnormal growth in the breast, such as a small, hardened spot, during a physical examination. The doctor will also look for any skin changes, nipple changes or nipple discharge.
How fast can DCIS spread?
Grade 1 DCIS is almost always ER and PR positive and is a very slow growing form of cancer. It can take years, even decades, to see progression of the disease. In some cases, it may take such a long time to spread beyond the breast duct that it is not an event that will happen during a person’s lifetime.
Should I worry about DCIS?
DCIS is considered a pre-cancer because sometimes it can become an invasive cancer. This means that over time, DCIS may spread out of the ducts into nearby tissue, and could metastasize. Currently, there’s no good way to predict which will become invasive cancer and which won’t.