A preliminary medical study has shown that surgery may not be beneficial for most women diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, a low-risk type of breast cancer. The new findings support the views of researchers who have long called for a reevaluation of the traditional approach to treating this type of cancer.
Radiation Follow-Up as an Alternative to Surgery
The study, presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in Texas, USA, demonstrated that women diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ who underwent regular follow-up with X-rays did not show an increased risk of the disease progressing to invasive breast cancer within two years compared to those who underwent surgical removal of cancerous cells.
Ductal Carcinoma In Situ: An Overview
Ductal carcinoma in situ is classified as stage zero breast cancer, where cancer cells remain confined within the milk ducts without always progressing to fast-spreading cancer. However, most women diagnosed with this type in the United States—over 50,000 annually—undergo surgical procedures that sometimes include complete mastectomy.
Reevaluating the Traditional Treatment
These findings suggest the possibility of adopting a more conservative treatment approach, focusing on continuous monitoring instead of immediate surgical intervention. This could reduce unnecessary surgeries and contribute to improving patients’ quality of life.
This preliminary study paves the way for further research to understand the long-term effects of forgoing surgery, which could radically change the future treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ.
