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Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute



"Confronting Cancer Through Art" is an exhibition by people whose lives have been touched by cancer.


This week we are featuring artwork by:
Jacqueline Kniewasser
Pontypool, Ontario


Visit the Children's Art Gallery

This week's artwork was donated by a pediatric cancer patient who received treatment for cancer at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Ductal Carcinoma in situ Of The Breast: The Different Types Of Ductal Carcinoma in situ

   Authors: Margaret M. Barnes, M.D
   Affiliations: Department of Radiation Oncology,
   University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center
   Posting Date - March 7, 1997
Last Revision Date: Sunday, 14-Feb-1999 13:54:25 EST
Copyright © 1994-1999, The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania

As we said on the first page of this pamphlet, "breast cancer" is a term for a whole family of cancers that arise in the breast. So too, is "Ductal Carcinoma in Situ" a term for a whole family of intraductal tumors. There are several different types of DCIS. The various types are descriptions of how the DCIS tumors look under the microscope. There is a division of the various types into two groups, the non-comedo types and comedo type carcinoma in situ:

Non-Comedo Types Of Carcinoma in situ

Solid type, Ductal Carcinoma in Situ: The tumor cellscompletely fill the involved ducts.


Solid type DCIS

Cribiform type, Ductal Carcinoma in Situ: The tumor cells do not completely fill the ducts. The pattern has little holes and slits, similar to a sieve.


Cribiform type DCIS

Papillary and micropapillary types, Ductal Carcinoma in Situ:

These two types have fern-like projections of cells into the center of the duct. The micropapillary type projections are smaller than those seen with the papillary type.


Papillary and micropapillary types of DCIS

Comedo Type Carcinoma in situ

Comedo type Ductal Carcinoma in Situ, also called Comedocarcinoma: Comedo type DCIS is separated out from the other types of DCIS, not only by how it looks under the microscope, but also how it acts. Comedocarci- noma tends to be slightly more aggressive than the other forms of DCIS. The little individual cells that make up this tumor are more aggressive in how they look under the microscope, and in how they act biologically. As a matter of fact, these cells are closer to real invasive breast cancer cells in how they look and behave than any other form of DCIS.

The appearance of Comedocarcinoma under the microscope is very distinct from the other forms of DCIS. The individual cells look more abnormal, and the center of the duct is plugged up with dead cellular debris. This dead cancer cell debris is known as necrosis. Necrosis in cancer growths seen under the microscope usually means that the cancer is growing fast, and generally is more aggressive in how it behaves. Also seen very often in the areas of necrosis are microcalcifications, small abnormal calcium deposits ( these microcalcifications are seen on mammograms).


Comedo type DCIS

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