Category: Interviews & Patient Stories
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July 22, 2025
Why Slowing Down Matters: A Candid Conversation About DCIS Decisions
In this heartfelt interview, long-time DCIS patient advocate Donna Pinto speaks with Janet Gola, who speaks candidly about her nearly 26-year journey with DCIS—from her initial 1999 diagnosis through a second struggle in 2012, nine procedures, and a mastectomy that left her with PTSD. Janet shares critical wisdom for newly diagnosed patients, emphasizing the importance of slowing down, asking questions, and understanding your pathology report.
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June 18, 2025
From Navigating the Unknown to Building a Movement: My DCIS Journey
The bad news is you have ductal carcinoma in situ. The good news is that DCIS is the best type of breast cancer to get. Those were the words of the pathologist delivering my biopsy results.
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June 3, 2025
Listening to Patients, Changing Protocols: Dr. Melvin Silverstein’s Legacy in DCIS Care
In this episode of the Cancer History Project podcast, Dr. Melvin Silverstein reflects on his groundbreaking work in breast cancer care—especially his role in changing how doctors treat and think about ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Interviewed by Dr. Stacy Wentworth, Silverstein shares stories from his decades-long career, including founding the Van Nuys Breast Center—the first free-standing breast center in the U.S.—and challenging widely accepted norms in cancer treatment. Silverstein is best known for developing tools like the Van Nuys Prognostic Index, which helped personalize DCIS treatment at a time when all patients were typically treated the same. He believed…
