Breast carcinoma in situ.

A total of 150 patients with in situ breast cancer were treated from 1970 through 1976, with a median follow-up of 11.5 years. There were 42 patients with microinvasion and 25 with bilateral disease, analyzed separately. Eight patients who became unavailable for follow-up within five years (but who had no evidence of disease [NED]) were excluded. Eighty-five patients had ductal carcinoma in situ, 43 had lobular carcinoma in situ, and 22 had a mixed type. Modified radical mastectomy was done in 112 cases. One of 128 patients had positive axillary nodes; axillary dissection is not indicated for in situ breast cancer. Of the 150 patients, one with ductal disease died of disease. Six died of other causes, free of disease. Of 18 treated by excision alone, two underwent mastectomy for recurrence and had NED. Patients with microinvasion had involved nodes in 10%, and 94% had NED. However, all bilateral cases had NED.