Continued local recurrence of carcinoma 15–25 years after a diagnosis of low grade ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast treated only by biopsy

Abstract

The natural history of small, noncomedo DCIS can last over at least 2 decades, with invasive carcinoma developing at the same site in which DCIS was previously discovered in a significant percentage of women (broadly, between 25%-50%). This is quite different from the natural history of comedo DCIS or any type of DCIS treated purposefully by surgery alone.