DCIS and hereditary susceptibility for breast cancer

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a noninvasive, transformed, neoplastic lesion with a significant likelihood, but without certainty, of progressing to invasive breast cancer, although there are molecular and cellular features that have some predictive power for the development of invasive disease. In women who carry deleterious mutations in the BRCA or other genes, detection of DCIS is paramount, as these women are believed to be at much higher risk than sporadic cases for progressing to invasive cancer. Here, we discuss the state of knowledge of DCIS in the context of hereditary cancer syndromes and emphasize current recommendations for risk management.