Current approach and future perspective for ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has a good prognosis with the current treatment approach, with a 10-year breast cancer-specific survival rate of 97–98%. In ductal carcinoma in situ without micrometastasis, surgery and postoperative adjuvant therapy significantly improve local control, however it has been reported that the selection of the surgical procedure and adjuvant therapy does not influence breast cancer death. On the other hand, owing to widespread mammography screening, the frequency of early breast cancer detection has increased. In early breast cancer, increased incidence of DCIS is remarkable. However, there is not enough reduction of advanced cancer to match it. Problems with overdiagnosis are now being discussed all over the world. It has been reported that surgery for low-grade ductal carcinoma in situ does not contribute to breast cancer-specific survival. However, it is currently impossible to reliably identify a population that does not progress to invasive cancer even without treatment. Recently, a non-surgery clinical trial for low-risk ductal carcinoma in situ was started. There is a possibility of achieving individualized treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ with less treatment intervention, without compromising the good prognosis obtained with the current treatment approach. This review presents an overview of the current treatment approaches, problems with overdiagnosis and potential future management strategies for ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast.