Women Living with Noninvasive Breast Cancer Live As Long As Other Women

Ductal carcinoma in situ is a noninvasive form of breast cancer. Although the condition is not life-threatening in itself, it may increase the chances of developing an invasive form of breast cancer later in life. However, a new study suggests that women who have been treated for ductal carcinoma in situ continue to live as long as other women.

According to the American Cancer Society, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) accounts for approximately 1 in 5 newly diagnosed breast cancers. DCIS is found in the breast's milk ducts and is deemed "noninvasive" because it does not spread to the rest of the body. However, there is a risk that DCIS evolves into an invasive form of breast cancer - currently estimated at under 30 percent - which is why the condition is typically treated with surgery or a combination of surgery and radiation therapy.