Annals of surgical oncology
-
The finding of lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) in the breast has generally prompted treatment with unilateral or bilateral mastectomy. Most experts now feel that LCIS simply identifies a woman who is at high risk to develop future breast cancer and requires only close clinical and mammographic follow-up. This approach has been recommended at our institution for > 15 years. This study defines the natural history of a population of women with LCIS who were treated by observation alone. ⋯ Four of 51 women treated with observation alone after diagnosis of LCIS developed breast cancer. All were detected by screening at an early stage. LCIS appeared to be an incidental finding on biopsy of mammographic abnormalities. The policy of observation alone for the finding of LCIS spares women mastectomy. Furthermore, cancers that develop in follow-up are likely to be detected at an early stage and be amenable to curative therapy. Observation alone is appropriate treatment for women with LCIS.