Introduction:
Ductal carcinoma in situ (
DCIS) is a premalignant lesion of the glandular component of the breast and a precursor lesion of invasive
breast cancer. In recent decades the incidence of
DCIS has risen continuously, mainly because of more extensive screening and more advanced diagnostic procedures. There is an increasing need for evidence-based treatment guidelines which will protect patients as far as possible from recurrence or invasive
cancer but also from overtreatment. This retrospective single-center clinical trial analyzed recurrence-free survival times, rates of invasive and non-invasive events, and the impact of patient history, histopathological variables and therapeutic factors on recurrence-free survival times. Material and Methods: A total of 200 patients who underwent surgery between 2000 and 2007 for pure
DCIS were included in the study. As part of follow-up a questionnaire was sent to patients and their respective gynecologists. Results: In the follow-up period, 12.5 % (n = 25) of the 200 patients had recurrence (invasive or non-invasive event). Menopausal status,
tumor grade and
tumor size were significantly associated with recurrence. Low-grade
DCIS was significantly more often
hormone receptor-positive than high-grade
DCIS. Patients who had postoperative
radiotherapy significantly more often also received endocrine
drug treatment. There was a significant association between younger patient age and
drug treatment. The study found that in the investigated cohort, premenopausal women had a significantly shorter recurrence-free time compared to postmenopausal women. Conclusion: This paper summarizes the current literature on
DCIS. There is a need for more prospective clinical trials to improve the prognosis of premenopausal women with large and
hormone receptor-positive
DCIS.