Treating Low Grade DCIS - Dr. Jay K. Harness - Breast Cancer ...

In this video, Dr. Jay K. Harness describes the typical treatment strategy for low-grade ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS.

Jay K. Harness, MD:?Low grade DCIS.? I had a question about the treatment of low grade DCIS.? Another videos that I have done here at Breast Cancer Answers, I really emphasized high grade DCIS, and particularly my concerns about high grade DCIS, as far as the propensity or the odds of high grade will recur locally and other related factors.

So we have had a question about low grade DCIS.? Now, I want to remind everybody that fundamentally there are three grades of in situ breast cancer just like there are three grades of invasive breast cancers, low, intermediate and high or, when we talk about invasive cancers we talk about well-differentiated, moderately or poorly differentiated.

Well, let?s stick to DCIS, Ductal Carcinoma In Situ, and let?s talk about low grade DCIS.? Well, a lot of debate actually about lower grade DCIS.? There are certainly those who feel that low grade DCIS can probably be treated with may be a simple lumpectomy.

There is another camp of people who feel that low grade DCIS may not require any treatment at all.? In other words is low grade DCIS similar to some of the low grade tumors that we see in the prostates of men who over years and years and years do absolutely nothing.

Well, I think to ultimately answer this question what we have got to have is much more in the way of molecular information about these various grades of in situ breast cancer, and to then know what the natural history of that molecular information would be.

Now, one of the advantages of the Oncotype DX test for DCIS is that at least for beginning that process of starting to look at the molecular profile, if you will, of in situ breast cancer to help us project whether a patient needs radiation therapy or not, and I would refer you to one of the prior videos that we have done on this here at breast cancer answers.

So what?s the standard treatment of low grade in situ breast cancer right now will certainly, I think, depending on the age of the patient and many other factors, taking that area out and having negative margins that I have talked about, larger rim of normal tissue all the way around.

Frankly, depending on other factors that a local multi-disciplinary team can help you with, that may be all the treatment you need and then close follow-up.? I certainly have many patients with low grades, small areas of DCIS, that?s the case for.

Now, you can also have low grade DCIS that may involve a very large area of the breast, and in getting all that out might lead to a significant cosmetic deformity of the breast and frankly, if you are in that situation, believe it or not may be mastectomy is the way to go.

So, I can generalize, for obviously every case because the size of the in situ matters, the location of the in situ matters, the size of the breast matters, as far as the surgical approach and then the issue of radiation therapy, again size can matter, but I will also refer you to the video here at Breast Cancer Answers about using Oncotype DX with DCIS.

Dr. Jay K. Harness is a board certified surgeon currently treating patients at St. Joesph Hospital in Orange, CA. Dr. Harness specializes in complete breast health, breast cancer surgery, oncoplastic reconstruction, genetic screening, management of breast health issues, risk assessment and counseling. Dr. Harness is the medical director for Breast Cancer Answers.com, and guides this first ever social media show?s information by drawing on his former leadership experience as the President of the American Society of Breast Surgeons and Breast Surgery International. Dr. Harness graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 1969 and spent time early on in his career at the University of Michigan Medical Center.

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This information should not be relied upon as a substitute for personal medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Use the information provided on this site solely at your own risk. ?If you have any concerns about your health, please consult with a physician.

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