Omitting Radiation for Patients with DCIS

Local tumor excision alone yielded acceptably low rates of local recurrence in patients with low- and intermediate-grade DCIS.

Many U.S. women do not receive postoperative radiation for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) because findings from retrospective studies suggest comparable recurrence rates in patients who receive radiation treatment versus those who undergo wide-local tumor excision only (N Engl J Med 1999; 340:1455). Researchers conducted a large, multi-institutional prospective trial designed to examine outcomes in women with DCIS who forgo radiation therapy.

The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) and the North Central Cancer Treatment Group collected data from 1997 to 2002 on 558 patients (median age, 60) with either low- or intermediate-grade DCIS measuring ≤2.5 cm and 103 patients (median age, 59) with high-grade DCIS measuring ≤1.0 cm. All patien…

Reviewing Author

Henry Mark Kuerer, MD, PhD, FACS

Disclosures

Speaker's BureauPhysicians’ Education Resource, LLC

RoyaltiesMcGraw-Hill Professional; UpToDate, Inc.

Editorial BoardsAnnals of Surgical Oncology

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Breast Surgeons (Chair, Publications Committee)

Henry Mark Kuerer, MD, PhD, FACS

Disclosures

Speaker's BureauPhysicians’ Education Resource, LLC

RoyaltiesMcGraw-Hill Professional; UpToDate, Inc.

Editorial BoardsAnnals of Surgical Oncology

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Breast Surgeons (Chair, Publications Committee)