Impact of ductal carcinoma in situ terminology on patient treatment preferences
Menée à partir d'une enquête auprès de 394 femmes en bonne santé, cette étude évalue l'impact de différents termes utilisés pour décrire un carcinome canalaire in situ (cancer, lésions, cellules anormales) sur le choix du traitement (chirurgie, médication, surveillance médicale)
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a preinvasive malignancy of the breast and is diagnosed in more than 50 000 women a year in the United States. It is treated with either mastectomy or lumpectomy, often combined with radiation therapy. In cases of low-grade DCIS, studies suggest that if progression occurs, it does so within a time frame of 5 to 40 years and possibly in only 20% of DCIS cases. This raises the possibility that some cases of DCIS will follow an indolent course that will not attain clinical significance during the patient’s lifetime. Accordingly, watchful waiting has been proposed as a reasonable option for DCIS, akin to what is currently offered for patients with early stage prostate cancer; however, how to implement such a strategy is unclear.