Regression of ductal carcinoma in situ after treatment with acupuncture.

This report describes a case of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) that regressed after treatment with acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and other complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The natural history of DCIS remains to be elucidated, and it is unclear whether all DCIS cases progress to invasive breast cancer. Surgery plus radiation therapy or mastectomy is recommended for women in whom this potentially nonprogressive cancer is detected. This case supports the developing trend toward active surveillance in lieu of breast-disfiguring surgery and offers evidence that CAM therapies may be of value in preventing progression of DCIS to invasive breast cancer.