Available treatments
This page provides information about the various treatments available to women with DCIS. Remember, no matter which treatment option is chosen the chance that someone diagnosed with DCIS will die from breast cancer in 10 years is usually very small.
A lumpectomy is a surgery that involves removing a portion of the DCIS tissue from a woman's breast. Most women can resume regular activities two weeks after surgery. Possible side effects include: loss of sensation and or breasts that don’t match.
First, a lumpectomy which is a surgery that involves removing a portion of the DCIS tissue from a woman's breast would be done. After you recovering from surgery (typically two to six weeks later), you would begin radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells. To receive radiation therapy you will visit the clinic every weekday for 4-6 weeks. You are in the treatment room for only 10-20 minutes. Possible side effects of radiation therapy include: fatigue, skin redness or irritation.
The combination of a surgery that involves removing the DCIS tissue area in the breast and then taking an oral hormone pill daily for about 5 years. Possible side effects of an oral hormone (Tamoxifen) include: hot flashes, vaginal dryness, low libido, mood swings and nausea. There is not a lot of information about patient outcomes following this approach. If you have ER- DCIS, then hormone therapy is not an option for you.
The combination of the above described procedures. If you have ER- DCIS, then hormone therapy is not an option for you.
A mastectomy is a surgery to remove the entire breast. If you are considering this option, your doctor may also suggest reconstruction surgery. Reconstruction surgeries are done to rebuild evenness between the two breasts by replacing skin, breast tissue, and/or the removed nipple. Breast reconstruction can be done with an implant material or by moving fat or muscle from another part of your body.
At this time, the National Cancer Institute recommends that women with DCIS receive one of the treatments outlined above. You can choose not to treat your DCIS. However, there is limited information about this treatment option. This approach is currently not standard and is being studied. You may also choose to take part in a clinical trial. Information about clinical trials is presented later on in the decision tool.
Should I take part in a clinical trial?
As you make your treatment decisions, you may want to think about joining a clinical trial. Clinical trials are studies of new treatments and the benefits and risks are often not known. By looking closely at all options, including clinical trials, you are taking an active role in a decision that impacts your life. Participating in a clinical trial is completely voluntary.
Where can I find a list of clinical trials for DCIS?
To find a list of clinical trials for DCIS, you can:- Visit www.ClinicalTrials.gov and search for DCIS
- Visit www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/ and search for DCIS
- Call The National Cancer Institute Information Service at: 1-800-4-CANCER
- Visit www.BreastCancerTrials.org and search for DCIS
When you are ready, please click Next » to continue.
Questions for my care team
Questions to ask my care team at the next visit:
- Can you tell me about any long term effects of any of the treatments?
- If I chose hormone therapy, which is best for me and what are the side effects?
- Can I have radiation at my local treatment site or do I have to go to a different location?
- What do we know about the side effects of each treatment?
- Should I join a clinical trial?
When you are ready, please click Next » to continue.
Next steps
On this page you can print out the summary of your health predictions, comparison charts and questions to think about when choosing which treatment is best for you as well as ones to bring to your care team. These might be helpful to have when speaking to your doctor about your treatment preferences.
Remember, no matter which treatment option is chosen the chance that someone diagnosed with DCIS will die from breast cancer in 10 years is usually very small. There is no wrong or right answer when it comes to treatment, it is important to choose a treatment that is right for you.
