Foundation Team
Medical Editor:
Joann G. Elmore, MD, MPH
Clinical Advisors
Laura J. Esserman, MD, MBA
Jay R. Harris, MD
Monica Morrow, MD
William C. Wood, MD
Clinical Lead:
Julie Beauregard, MLIS
Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) is not life-threatening, but some cases do progress to invasive cancer over time. To help women diagnosed with DCIS decide how best to treat it, the Foundation has developed a Shared Decision-Making® program called Ductal Carcinoma in Situ: Choosing Your Treatment.
The program is for women who have been diagnosed with DCIS. It describes what DCIS is and explains the two goals of treatment: to prevent invasive cancer from developing and to decrease the chance of DCIS returning. The program also describes the risks and benefits of various treatment options: surgery (lumpectomy or mastectomy), lumpectomy with radiation, or hormone therapy, which is usually combined with a lumpectomy and radiation. Watchful waiting is also an option that is discussed, although it is not usually advised.
The program includes interviews with real patients who chose different treatment options and describe their experiences with DCIS. It also features interviews with surgeons.
This program was developed with our production partner, Health Dialog. It is available as a DVD, a booklet and a web-based program (Health Crossroads®) for Health Dialog members.
