OCTOBER 13, 2026: Controversies & Challenges in the Treatment of DCIS Stage Zero Breast Cancer Guest speaker: J. Clark Bundren MD, FACOG, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, full time faculty, retired. With Elizabeth Lee Vliet MD, Preventive and Climacteric Medicine
In the third program in our series focusing on expanding guidelines leading to overtreatment in current medical/surgical settings, resulting in expanding revenue/profit centers for health systems and Big Pharma, this week we are addressing a controversial area in Breast Cancer that results in more patients being given a diagnosis leading to aggressive treatment including surgery, radiation, anti-estrogen therapy—all of which have unwanted side effects and can adversely impact quality of life. Current analysis of clinical outcomes shows that for many DCIS patients, the outcomes do not correlate well with type of treatment chosen, which means many patients are overtreated, with resulting side effects and complications that may not have been necessary.
In fact, no treatment at all with active surveillance results in outcomes very much the same as aggressive treatment in a large population with low-risk DCIS, as reported in the study in Clinical Oncology Epub July 24, 2020. Innovations in DCIS therapy include the alternative of minimally Invasive Cryoablation of the DCIS lesion using ultrasound guided cryoprobe for cell destruction. Yet women are rarely offered these less invasive options or the option of simple active surveillance and only having treatment IF invasive breast cancer develops. Dr. Bundren, a colleague and friend of Dr. Vliet’s since their internship days in Norfolk VA, will discuss these newest approaches and help guide patients in navigating the challenges and controversies in treatment options.
