Category: Latest Research

Obesity and DCIS: New Research Reveals a Different Path to Invasive Breast Cancer

If you’ve been diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), you’ve likely encountered one of the most frustrating truths about this diagnosis: doctors still can’t say for certain whether your particular DCIS will stay put or eventually become invasive. That uncertainty drives real decisions — about surgery, radiation, hormone therapy — for the roughly 55,000 to 60,000 women diagnosed with DCIS in the U.S. each year. A new study offers a promising piece of the puzzle, and it comes from an unexpected direction: body weight.

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“Baby TAM” After DCIS: What New Research Says About Menopausal Status and Your Risk

If you’ve been treated for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and had a conversation with your doctor about tamoxifen, you may have heard about a lower-dose option sometimes called “baby TAM.” New research presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in June 2026 — and simultaneously published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology — sheds important light on how well this low-dose approach works, and why your menopausal status may matter more than previously understood.

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Radiation or No Radiation After DCIS: New Research Offers Reassurance — and a Call for Better Conversations About Risk

If you’ve been diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), one of the biggest questions you may face is whether to have radiation after surgery. A new study published in Clinical Breast Cancer offers reassuring news: long-term quality of life and fear of recurrence may be similar whether or not radiation is part of your treatment. But nearly eight years after diagnosis, many women still overestimate their risk of recurrence — pointing to an important opportunity for clearer patient education.

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Encouraging Update from the LORD Clinical Trial on Active Surveillance for Low-Risk DCIS

At the recent 15th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC15), researchers shared encouraging early findings from the LORD (LOw Risk DCIS) clinical trial , a major international study exploring whether some people diagnosed with low-risk ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) can safely avoid immediate surgery.

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Navigating DCIS Outside the Traditional Path: Insights from a New Study

A newly published study in Sociology of Health & Illness explores how some women diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) are navigating their diagnosis outside the traditional treatment pathway. Rather than following standard-of-care approaches such as surgery or radiation, these women are turning to an online community to help make sense of their diagnosis, weigh treatment decisions, and find support. The study offers a window into how patients understand risk, interact with the medical system, and navigate uncertainty in the absence of clear answers.

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Is Tamoxifen Alone Without Surgery a Viable Strategy for Low-Risk DCIS?: Updates From the LORETTA Trial

In December 2025, results from the LORETTA trial were presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), offering new insight into an important and long-standing question in DCIS care: Can some people with low-risk DCIS safely avoid surgery?

While the trial did not meet its predefined statistical threshold, the findings add meaningful evidence to the growing body of research suggesting that active surveillance may be appropriate for carefully selected patients. Importantly, the results help clarify who those patients might be.

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New DCIS Radiation Findings Presented at SABCS: What High Risk Patients Should Know

At the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) in December, researchers presented updated results from a large international clinical trial examining radiation treatment after surgery for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). The study offers important insights into how radiation can reduce the chance of DCIS returning in the same breast — particularly for people considered at higher risk of recurrence.

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Can Biopsy Alone Help Identify Which DCIS Is Truly “Low Risk”?

For many women diagnosed with DCIS, one of the toughest questions is whether surgery is truly necessary — especially if the DCIS looks low-risk. The idea of active monitoring (close follow-up with imaging and exams, without immediate surgery) is gaining attention in clinical trials. But one challenge remains: how can doctors be sure a biopsy really shows the whole truth about the DCIS?

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