Low-risk DCIS and the COMET Study

The debates about what DCIS should be called and how serious a risk it poses to overall health extend to disagreements between doctors about how it should be treated or managed. Some believe low-risk DCIS should continue to be treated immediately with surgery (and radiation if needed) to reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer as much as possible. Others believe that many patients with low-risk DCIS do not need surgery or radiation and could avoid or delay having these treatments (and their side-effects) by actively monitoring the DCIS with regular mammograms.

You will find supporters of these two very different approaches. There are also many doctors who would like to be able to offer both treatment options to patients with low-risk DCIS. However, they are currently unable to do so without better evidence. These debates will continue until there is better evidence that directly compares the experiences and outcomes of patients who receive Active Monitoring or Surgery. This is the reason we have launched the COMET study.