A 45-year-old woman presents with a painless breast mass. Biopsy reveals ductal carcinoma in situ. What does this diagnosis imply?
Understand the Problem
The question describes a clinical scenario where a 45-year-old woman has a painless breast mass, and a biopsy reveals ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). The question asks us to interpret what a diagnosis of DCIS implies about the state and behavior of the cancerous cells.
Answer
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) means the tumor is confined to the milk ducts and has not invaded surrounding tissue.
The final answer is B) The tumor is confined to the ducts and has not invaded surrounding tissue
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is B) The tumor is confined to the ducts and has not invaded surrounding tissue
More Information
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a non-invasive breast cancer where abnormal cells are found inside the milk ducts of the breast. It's considered an early form of breast cancer because the cells haven't spread beyond the ducts into surrounding breast tissue.
Tips
A common mistake is to confuse DCIS with invasive breast cancer. DCIS is confined to the milk ducts and hasn't spread, whereas invasive cancer has spread beyond the ducts.
Sources
- Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic - mayoclinic.org
- Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) - Johns Hopkins Medicine - hopkinsmedicine.org
- Your Breast Pathology Report: Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) - cancer.org
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