Breast Cancer : Treatment part 4

It is recommended that all patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) be treated to avoid potential progression to invasive cancer. Treatment options for DCIS include breast-conserving surgery with radiation therapy or mastectomy; either of these options may be followed by treatment with tamoxifen if the tumor is hormone receptor-positive. Removal of axillary lymph nodes is not generally needed, but a sentinel lymph node procedure may be performed. A report by a panel of experts convened by the National Institutes of Health concluded that in light of the noninvasive nature and favorable prognosis of DCIS, the primary goal for future research is to accurately define patient risk categories in order to administer the minimum treatment required for a successful outcome.