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Home >Information for Patients > Dictionary Index

Dictionary of Cancer Terms

View in Spanish: Carcinoma ductal in situ

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DUK-tul KAR-sih-NOH-muh in SYE-too)
A noninvasive condition in which abnormal cells are found in the lining of a breast duct. The abnormal cells have not spread outside the duct to other tissues in the breast. In some cases, ductal carcinoma in situ may become invasive cancer and spread to other tissues, although it is not known at this time how to predict which lesions will become invasive. Also called DCIS and intraductal carcinoma.



 
 
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.