Women with ductal carcinoma in situ, a non-invasive form of breast cancer, are more likely to experience a recurrence after treatment if their DCIS is of a high nuclear grade or is detected by palpation during a breast examination, according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

DCIS accounts for about 20% of all newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer in the United States and is initially treated surgically, either by mastectomy (removal of the entire breast) or lumpectomy (removal of the tumor and minimal surrounding tissue). Some women will experience a recurrence, but it is unclear what characteristics are associated with the risk of recurrence.

Karla Kerlikowske, M.D., of the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and her colleagues examined information about 1,036 women in the San Francisco Bay area who were age 40 or older when diagnosed with DCIS and treated with lumpectomy alone.