MDs leading Active Surveillance movement for low-risk DCIS
- Dr. Shelley Hwang, Chief of Breast Surgery, Duke Cancer Institute, Why Doctors Are Rethinking Breast-Cancer Treatment, TIME Magazine, Oct, 2015
- Dr. Ann Partridge, Founder and Director, Program for Young Women with Breast Cancer; Director, Adult Survivorship Program; Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School Dana-Farber to study ways to reduce overtreatment of DCIS
- Dr. Alastair Thompson, Professor, Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Study seeks best way to manage breast ‘pre-cancer’
- Dr. Wen Liang, Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Rebecca Fortney Breast Center, Seeking less aggressive breast cancer treatment, Anne Arundel Medical Center takes part in clinical trial
- Dr. Laura Esserman, Director of the Breast Care Center at UCSF, A Breast Cancer Surgeon Who Keeps Challenging the Status Quo
- Dr. Susan Love, Chief visionary officer of Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation (DSLRF), DCIS Video 2016; DCIS: The Measure of the Margin
- Dr. Deanna J. Attai, Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, and is a Past- President of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, Active Surveillance for DCIS
Expert 2nd Opinions:
- Dr. Jean Simpson: 2nd Pathology opinion
- Dr. Melvin Silverstein: Specialist in “Oncoplastic surgery” –offers lumpectomies with breast reconstruction for those wanting to avoid mastectomy
- Johns Hopkins 2nd opinion mammogram evaluation: service requires Birads 4 or higher. Can be referred by Dr. or patient. If insurance doesn’t cover, fee is $150
Tests and Tools to INDIVIDUALIZE Your “Risk”
- DCISionRT: analyzes tissue from biopsy or surgery and gives a score to determine individual risk of future DCIS or invasive cancer as low or elevated.
- Oncotype DX for DCIS: analyzes tissue from biopsy or surgery and gives a score to determine individual risk of future DCIS or invasive cancer as low or elevated.
- The Van Nuys Prognostic Index: offers a more tailored prognosis than “one size fits all” treatment approach. Based on DCIS size & grade, margins and patient age.
Alternative Ways to MONITOR DCIS
- SonoCine Automated Whole Breast Ultrasound (AWBUS): Invented by 35 year expert radiologist Dr. Kevin Kelly, AWBUS can find tiny invasive cancers often missed on mammography, especially in dense breast tissue.
- “Dedicated” breast MRI
- Thermography
Online DCIS Support Group
- DCIS Integrative Support & Empowerment (Facebook Group)
Natural /Holistic Lifestyle Strategies
- Donna’s Official “Better-than-Awareness” Checklist
- Active Surveillance P L U S — Donna’s Vision
- “Hormone Imbalance” by Barbara O’Neill
- Chris Beat Cancer (chemo-free colon cancer survivor and natural healing guru)
- Elyn Jacobs (breast cancer survivor, patient advocate/researcher, wellness coach)
- Crazy Sexy Wellness (Kris Carr)
- Proactive Breast Health Club (DCIS Redefined)
- Donna’s Choice: Global Healing from the Inside Out (Facebook Group)
Naturopathic/Integrative Healthcare
- Bastyr University Clinic — San Diego
- UC San Diego Center for Integrative Medicine
- American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
- Life Extension Directory of Innovative Clinics
- Lotus Rain Clinic, San Diego (Dr. Kristine Reese)
DCIS Over-treatment & Donna’s story and in the Media
- Media — Inside Edition, ABC News, Women’s Health, The Daily Beast, KPBS/ NPR, The Washington Post, CNN, TIME, Prevention, Good morning America, etc:
- When Cancer is not Cancer, The California Sunday Magazine, DECEMBER 7, 2014
- Take Carcinoma Out of DCIS and Ease Off Treatment, January, 2010
- A Breast Cancer You May Not Need to Treat, Sept. 2011- More.com
- The American Holistic Health Association: What Doctors Don’t Tell You About Breast Cancer: Half the time it’s not cancer at all
- Emerging Ways to Treat and Prevent Breast Cancer – Dr. Sheldon M. Feldman, NY Presbyterian Hospital , Aug. 5, 2011
- Don’t Let Fear Drive Early Breast Cancer Treatment, Aug 20, 2010
Donna’s Book Recommendations:
- Overdiagnosed: Making People Sick in the Pursuit of Health, Dr. H. Gilbert Welch, MD
- Patient Heal Thyself, Jordan S. Rubin, N.M.D., PH. D.
- Anticancer: A New Way of Life, David Servan-Screiber, MD, PhD
- You Did What? Saying ‘No’ to Conventional Cancer Treatment, Hollie & Patrick Quinn
- Herbal Medicine, Healing & Cancer: A Comprehensive Program for Prevention and Treatment, Donald Yance, Jr., C.N, M.H, A.H.G
- Mind Over Medicine, Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Your Life, Lissa Rankin, MD
- Radical Remission, Kelly Turner, PhD
- The pH Miracle: Balance Your Diet, Reclaim Your Health, Robert O. Young, PhD and Shelly R. Young
- Cancer: Step Outside the Box, Ty Bollinger
- Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips, Kris Carr
Nonprofit Organizations:
- DCIS Redefined
- Give Wellness
- Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation
- The Mederi Foundation
- Breast Cancer Action
- National Breast Cancer Coalition
- Environmental Working Group
This is great! Thanks for putting all these resources on here! 😀 Does anybody know of a DCIS support group in Southern Cailfornia? They have one in Northern CA but I can’t find one down here. I just called UCLA Simms/Mann Center and they told me they used to have one but not anymore. Thank you and white light! 😀
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I too have called around San Diego Cancer Centers and there is no DCIS specific support group. I went to a Breast Cancer support group and it wasn’t what I was looking for. Please let me know if you hear of a DCIS- specific support group in So. cal! Thanks Marimar….and white light back!
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Hi dp4peace,
There’s a group in Palo Alto apparently. I called there and they gave me some numbers to call in Southern California. I will let you know if I find one down here. Thank you so much for this website. It’s a great source of information and makes me feel less alone with all this. Thank you and white light!
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How can I go about finding a doctor who will go along with an Clive surveillance treatment plan for me? Is there a list of doctors like that. I live in Idaho, work in Alaska, have family in Houston and family and property in Arizona. I could go most anywhere but west of the Mississippi would be my preference. How do I find patients and doctors who are doing this. Sadly, I can’t get in on the COMET trial so I am doctor shopping on my own.
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Hi Jaque,
Unfortunately most doctors are hesitant to support Active Surveillance for DCIS outside of a clinical trial. The Drs I have listed here are the ones who are the most outspoken publicly about “less is more” approach for low-risk DCIS. Probably best to post in Facebook Group: dcis integrative support & empowerment: https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=dcis%20integrative%20support%20%26%20empowerment
Other option is to email Dr. Laura Esserman and ask her if she can recommend anyone in your preferred areas. Or you could see her in San Francisco at UCSF or one of her colleagues. Here is another good resource:https://dcispatient.com/ however the doctors listed are the same as here!
Good luck in your search and please share what you learn here and/or in Facebook group! 🙂
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