Ductal Carcinoma in situ (DCIS)

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), also known as intraductal carcinoma and stage 0 breast cancer, is the most commonly diagnosed form of noninvasive breast cancer, and accounts for about 20 percent of all new breast cancer cases.

DCIS occurs when the cells that line the milk ducts become cancerous and overproliferate, but have not spread to other parts of the breast. Although DCIS is a disease that should be taken seriously, more than half of the time the cancerous cells will not become invasive and when treated the five-year survival rate for DCIS is nearly 100 percent.

All cases of DCIS are not the same and treatment for the condition can vary widely. Therefore, your doctor at Stanford will work with you to understand the particular nature of your disease, and to determine the most appropriate treatment.