Ductal Carcinoma
Ductal carcinoma is the most common type of breast cancer. It is breast cancer that starts in the lining of the breast ducts. When breast cancer has not spread outside of the ducts, it is called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Sometimes called intraductal carcinoma, it’s the most common type of noninvasive breast cancer. Invasive ductal carcinoma is breast cancer that has spread beyond the walls of the breast ducts. It is the most common type of invasive breast cancer.
A diagnosis of DCIS is relatively good news. It means that abnormal cells are found only inside the milk duct of the breast and that these abnormal cells have not spread outside the duct. They also have not spread within the breast, beyond the breast, to the lymph nodes under the arm, or to other parts of the body. DCIS can be in either a small portion or a large portion of a duct system. DCIS has an extremely high cure rate—more than 90%. But if it isn’t removed, some types of DCIS may change over time and turn into invasive cancers. You can reduce your risk of getting the more serious, invasive breast cancers by getting the proper treatment for DCIS.
