Author Archives: Donna Pinto

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About Donna Pinto

After being diagnosed with DCIS in 2010, Donna transformed her personal journey into a mission of advocacy and education. She became an investigative journalist and patient advocate, later earning certification as a nutritionist. As a nonprofit founder, author, speaker, blogger, and podcaster, Donna has dedicated over 15 years to empowering women with knowledge and support. Through her website, DCIS 411, she shares insights on DCIS overdiagnosis and overtreatment, safer breast imaging alternatives, and holistic strategies for achieving optimal health—impacting thousands of women worldwide.

In 2011, My Doctor Told Me: “Your Breast is Like Spoiled Soup… It’s Not Worth Saving.”

Posted on September 1, 2023 by Donna Pinto

I Proved Her Wrong. (My 2023 Update by Donna Pinto) “Highly suspicious for malignancy,” was written on my mammography report in June 2011. “The pre-cancerous cells might now be INVASIVE CANCER,” my doctor said. I had spent the last 18 … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Overdiagnosis & Overtreatment, Personal Stories | Tagged , , , , , | 22 Comments

Stage 0 DCIS Saga — Guest Blog by Lynn Good

Posted on January 25, 2023 by Donna Pinto

Thank you for this blog; it has been a great help to me. My family doctor pressed me to get a mammogram a couple of months ago. I am 70 years old and had had a mammogram 16 months before. … Continue reading →

Posted in Health | 6 Comments

No Surgery for DCIS — Studies and Support

Posted on January 16, 2023 by Donna Pinto

Research shows that at least 3 out of 4 women (75%) with DCIS that is not treated will not get a future invasive breast cancer. PLS for “Genomic analysis defines clonal relationships of ductal carcinoma in situ and recurrent invasive … Continue reading →

Posted in Health | 2 Comments

Great News about SonoCine Automated Breast Ultrasound — A Message from Dr. Kevin Kelly

Posted on January 4, 2023 by Donna Pinto

Many of us have wondered — who will replace Dr. Kevin Kelly when he officially retires? I am happy to share this message I received from Dr. Kelly’s office via email this week… To My Dear Patients, As you know, … Continue reading →

Posted in Health | 1 Comment

DCIS is NOT Breast Cancer — An Online Support Group Leading a Paradigm Shift

Posted on September 14, 2022 by Donna Pinto

A paradigm shift is defined as “an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way.”

DCIS – Is Not Breast Cancer! — an online support group created in 2020 — has quickly attracted over 1.5k women with approximately 25 new requests to join each week. Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Options, Overdiagnosis & Overtreatment, Personal Stories, Sanity, Support | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

The Case for NO TREATMENT of Low-risk DCIS 

Posted on July 22, 2022 by Donna Pinto

“Many DCIS lesions will never progress to IBC during the patient’s lifetime [3]. Biopsy review studies of patients where DCIS was initially misdiagnosed as benign and thus not treated after biopsy suggest that up to 85% of all DCIS will … Continue reading →

Posted in Health | 2 Comments

Overdiagnosis – “That’s Not Even a Word”

Posted on June 14, 2022 by Donna Pinto

I remember in 2012, when I first came across the term “overdiagnosis,” I told my dad that I felt this is what had happened to me. His reply to me was: “Donna that’s not even a word.” I said, “Dad, this … Continue reading →

Posted in Health | 10 Comments

Lions, Tigers and Fears — the Cultural Problem of DCIS

Posted on March 18, 2022 by Donna Pinto

“There’s a hysteria around breast cancer. The extremism that sometimes comes into play in DCIS treatment decision making is a ‘cultural problem.’ This is not a life-threatening problem.”   – Dr. Anne Partridge, MD, MPH, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Shock + Scary … Continue reading →

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Reflections on My 12 Year DCIS Anniversary…

Posted on January 19, 2022 by Donna Pinto

On this day, January 19, 2010 — 12 years ago — I was given a diagnosis that brought my happy life to a screeching halt. I had never heard of DCIS before, but from the moment a nurse told me … Continue reading →

Posted in Health | 12 Comments

In 2011, My Doctor Told Me: “Your Breast is Like Spoiled Soup… It’s Not Worth Saving.”

Posted on April 11, 2021 by Donna Pinto

I Proved Her Wrong. (My 2023 Update by Donna Pinto) “Highly suspicious for malignancy,” was written on my mammography report in June 2011. “The pre-cancerous cells might now be INVASIVE CANCER,” my doctor said. I had spent the last 18 … Continue reading →

Posted in Health | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments