Ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast: 11 reasons to consider treatment with excision alone.

For the last 15 years, there has been a vigorous ongoing debate as to whether or not all conservatively treated patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) require radiation therapy following excision or whether selected patients with DCIS can be treated by excision alone. At just about all breast cancer symposia where DCIS is discussed, experts are assigned to debate the pros and cons of radiation therapy after excision. The debate is often heated. This article outlines numerous reasons to consider excision alone in the treatment of selected DCIS patients.