Why DCIS Is Clinically Challenging

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) represents a clinical crossroads in breast surgery—balancing the risks of over-treatment with the need to prevent invasive cancer. With new data from active monitoring trials, the pressure is on for surgeons to personalize care. Tune in to this essential episode to stay ahead of the curve on DCIS management and to hear expert insights from two leading breast surgical oncologists.

Hosts:
- Rashmi Kumar, MD, PhD
Resident, University of Michigan General Surgery Residency Program
Twitter/X: @RashmiJKumar
- Melissa Pilewskie, MD
Attending Breast Surgical Oncologist, Co-Director of the Weiser Family Center for Breast Cancer, Michigan Medicine
Twitter/X: @MPilewskie
-  Stephanie Downs-Canner, MD
Attending Breast Surgical Oncologist & Physician-Scientist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Program Director of the Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship Training Program
Twitter/X: @SDownsCanner

Learning Objectives:
- Define DCIS and explain its significance as a precursor to invasive breast cancer.
- Discuss challenges in diagnosing and risk-stratifying DCIS.
- Review current standards for surgical and adjuvant management of DCIS.
- Understand the implications of new research, including the COMET trial, for low-risk DCIS.
- Evaluate patient-centered strategies for managing DCIS and preventing over-treatment.

References:
- Worni M, Akushevich I, Greenup R, et al. Trends in Treatment Patterns and Outcomes for Ductal Carcinoma In Situ. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2015;107(12):djv263. PubMed
- Francis A, Thomas J, Fallowfield L, et al. Addressing overtreatment of screen detected DCIS; the LORIS trial. Eur J Cancer. 2015 Jan;51(16):2296-303. PubMed
- Elshof LE, Tryfonidis K, Slaets L, et al. Feasibility of a non-surgical management strategy for low-grade DCIS: The LORD study. Eur J Cancer. 2015;51(12):1497–1510. PubMed
- Toss MS, et al. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): current management and future directions. Cancer Treat Rev. 2020;90:102091. PubMed
- Comparative Effectiveness of Surgery versus Active Monitoring for Low-Risk DCIS (COMET) Trial Results. Early COMET Results: King TA, et al. Surgical excision versus active monitoring for low-risk ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): 2-year results of the COMET randomized trial. J Clin Oncol. 2024; e2400110. PubMed

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