“88% of DCIS is Overtreated.” — A Breast Surgeon Explains the Evidence
Over 60,000 woman every year are diagnosed with non-invasive Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) — commonly called “stage zero” breast cancer. Most are rushed into surgery, radiation & drugs. Most are not informed about overdiagnosis & overtreatment. DCIS 411 amplifies research educating women to make more informed decisions. Listen to this 1 minute clip explaining […]
CheatSheet — Stay Healthy & Avoid DCIS (“Stage Zero Breast Cancer”) Overdiagnosis & Overtreatment
Every year I give a personal update and I try to simplify information based on the latest research, technology, and common sense! Think of the image above like a CheatSheet. It’s a one-page summary of 16 years of insights, endless hours of research, hundreds of blog posts, nutrition studies/certification, and nonprofit advocacy! To access links, […]
DCIS — New BMJ Study Supports Active Monitoring
A new study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) July 2025, adds to growing evidence that many women with a DCIS diagnosis may want to consider an active monitoring approach.
Presidential Proclamation on Healthy Life Habits for Cancer Prevention
An official Presidential Proclamation declaring April 2024 as the inaugural National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month states: “Healthy life habits — like maintaining a healthy body weight and reducing exposure to tobacco smoke — can prevent certain cancers, so we are working to help all Americans get and stay healthy. Our National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, […]
Lumpectomy’s Little Secret: Women Uninformed about High Re-Excision Rates & Mastectomies for DCIS
Women are often told lumpectomy is an easy surgery. One and done. Yet… more often than not, this is NOT the case. In fact, studies report up to 70% of the time, a 2nd surgery is needed due to “positive margins” for DCIS. It happened to me in 2011. After a DCIS diagnosis in January […]
On a Mission to Help Women Avoid Harms of Mammography Screening — Donna Pinto Shares Her Story with Dr. Jenn Simmons — Breast Surgeon Turned Functional Medicine Doctor
Thanks to Dr. Jenn Simmons for inviting me on her podcast. My story is one story among tens of thousands of women harmed every year. Please watch this video and share with your women friends and family… You can also listen via podcast here. When we know better, we do better. #BeW I S E is a […]
DCIS is NOT Breast Cancer — An Online Support Group Leading a Paradigm Shift
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.
Breast Imaging Options and Anti-Cancer Diet / Lifestyle
Ultrasound vs Mammogram Discussion on Good Morning America: Identical twin sisters — both had clear mammograms — yet both had INVASIVE cancers that were found on ULTRASOUND. INVASIVE cancers were missed on their mammograms!! A 2009 Study showed ULTRASOUND found 97% of cancers vs 76% found on mammograms. Watch video: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/video/embed/73446936 “The mammogram did not […]
Awesome Interview!! Inspiration for DCIS 411 — Informed Choices and Healthy Living Over Fear Fear Fear!
Cynthia Toussant and I discuss how we KNEW IN OUR GUT something wasn’t right with the immediate rush to surgically remove DCIS!
Mis-Diagnosed with DCIS at Age 26 and 38 Weeks Pregnant: How Intuition, Non-stop Research and a 2nd Pathology Opinion Changed My Life
My gut and intuition told me to research my head off and to understand what’s going on. I learned very fast that just because you have a “low grade” “stage zero” breast cancer that doesn’t mean the treatment is less than any other INVASIVE breast cancer.
DCIS & Cryoablation? Guest Blog
My Croablation Journey by Christine B. I was diagnosed with DCIS stage 0 grade 2 June 2017. I was immediately turned over to a surgeon who strongly suggested a lumpectomy, radiation, and a hormone blocker. Better yet a mastectomy due to my small breasts. I had never heard of DCIS until I was diagnosed! So […]
The Value of Recording Physician Consultations
Recording consultations with physicians is extremely valuable, especially with regards to obtaining results of screening or diagnostic tests, biopsies, surgeries, or discussions about future cancer risks, or potential treatments. Recording the consultation enables: ability to glean important information missed or not comprehended due to information overload, shock, language or hearing issues, etc. ability to share […]
31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 30 — NO “Survival” Benefit of Aggressive Treatments for DCIS — Women Not Informed
Did you know… Women diagnosed with DCIS, also known as “stage ZERO” breast cancer, are often rushed into extremely aggressive treatments (surgery, radiation and drugs) that actually have no survival benefit… yet this information is often not told to them. Instead women are given confusing “risk reduction” statistics with each of the “standard of care” […]
31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 28 — Risks of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy! New Study Shows NO Benefit for DCIS
Did you know… Despite experts not recommending sentinel lymph node biopsies, between 17% and 40% of women with DCIS currently undergo this unnecessary procedure that comes with serious side effects. Risks of sentinel lymph node biopsies: Pain, wound infection, and lymphedema, a painful condition that can restrict a woman’s arm movements. Patient advocate Ann Fonfa, […]
31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 27 — Grade “F” in DCIS Communication
Did you know… Some health-care providers get an “F” in communication. Celebrity chef Sandra Lee said her doctors told her DCIS was a “ticking time bomb.” In January, 2010, when I brought an article, Take Carcinoma Out of DCIS and Ease Off Treatment, to show a breast surgeon about my preference for “active surveillance” of […]
31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 25 — Unbiased 2nd PATHOLOGY opinion is a MUST
Did you know… Aggressive treatments for DCIS are based on pathology — and 25% may be wrong. This happened to me. I had several opinions and 3 different pathology reports. My gut told me something was not right and I needed to keep investigating. Luckily I was referred to expert pathologist, Dr. Michael Lagios. He […]
31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 24 — The Word “Cancer” is Scary & Misleading for DCIS
Did you know… Several breast cancer experts over the last 10+ years have questioned whether the word “carcinoma” should be removed from DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma in Situ). “Because of the noninvasive nature of DCIS, coupled with its favorable prognosis, strong consideration should be given to remove the anxiety-producing term “carcinoma” from the description of DCIS.” […]
31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 13 — Autopsy Studies Find High % of DCIS
Did you know… A review of autopsy records showed that somewhere between 9% and 15% of women have undetected DCIS at death (Welch, 1997). This supports the idea that a proportion of DCIS occurrences will not progress into invasive cancer or become life-threatening. National Breast Cancer Coalition Conclusion: “Our systematic review in ten countries over […]
31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 11 — It’s Ok to Opt Out of Mammograms
Did you know… It’s Ok to Opt Out of Mammograms. In this must-read article, science writer, Christie Aschwanden lists key points (see below) of some of the “little known” harms of screening. She encourages women to review a chart on “Benefits and Harms of Screening Mammography.” Key points from article: While 61 percent of women […]
31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 6 — Pinkwashing 101
Did you know… The definition of Pinkwasher: A company or organization that claims to care about breast cancer by promoting a pink ribbon product, but at the same time produces, manufactures and/or sells products that are linked to the disease. Breast Cancer Action, coined the term pinkwashing and created a Think Before You Pink® campaign. […]
DCIS Support — Find Your Tribe on Facebook!
There are five distinctly different “DCIS support groups” on Facebook. Some have strict rules. Differing viewpoints have led to heated debates and frustrations. Hopefully everyone can find a support tribe they most align with. Some may feel they benefit from joining more than one group. Below are perspectives and descriptions of differing DCIS Facebook “support […]
Donna’s 9 Year Update — Top 3 Questions, Lessons Learned, and 2019 Projects
If not for photos with my children… I would not believe it’s been nine years since my journey with DCIS began. TOP 3 QUESTIONS I AM OFTEN ASKED 1. Did I ever have a recurrence of DCIS or invasive cancer? NO! Donna’s Journey starting at Part 2 — June 2011 details my experience with […]
DCIS — Beyond “One-Size Fits-All”
Today, women newly diagnosed with DCIS have more support, options, and resources than ever before. Below are eight ways to help you create an “individualized” and empowered plan-of-action… #1. CONFIRM YOUR PATHOLOGY Dr. David J Dabbs, Prelude Dx Second Opinion Service Dr. Jean Simpson #2. ASK YOUR DOCTOR TO ORDER A BIOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT TEST […]
Aggressive Treatments for DCIS — or NOT? New Research Sheds Light
I hope every woman diagnosed with low-risk DCIS today knows they have a great opportunity that did not exist for me (and thousands others) in the past.
I feel an incredible sense of gratitude to all the forces and people that have made the COMET Study possible — to the physicians and cancer centers who are making it available — and to the women who will participate. Thank you!
On the Radio — Donna on “High Energy Health”
It was an honor to share my story and passion with Dawson Church on his radio show “High Energy Health.” To listen, click here and scroll down to 9/8/2016 Donna Pinto – Give Wellness. Alternatively, click here for direct link to the mp3. Thanks for listening!! 🙂 Donna Dawson Church, PhD, Founder of the National Institute for […]
DCIS Over-treatment Makes Mainstream News — 2015 Highlights
The media madness began in August 2015 following the publication of the most extensive study to date on DCIS in the prestigious medical Journal JAMA Oncology. The study of over 100,000 women concluded there was no “life-saving” benefit to “standard protocol” for DCIS (surgery, radiation and drugs). “The analysis reinforces a growing belief that current treatment […]
Why the “Standard of Care” Must Change
Despite clear evidence from the most extensive study to date on DCIS — that there is no benefit to surgery, radiation and drugs (“standard of care” treatment for DCIS) — and despite significant harms of these treatments — doctors will most likely not be making any protocol changes. During a KPBS interview, Dr Reema Batra, stated the “standard […]
DCIS is NOT a “Ticking Time Bomb” — What Women Really Need to Know
Celebrity chef Sandra Lee was told by her doctors she was “a ticking time bomb.” Is it any wonder that she and thousands of women like her are racing to the operating room to amputate both their breasts? Why such radical treatment for DCIS? “Right now, we have women getting bilateral mastectomies for ductal carcinoma […]
Active Surveillance Anyone?
Looking for women who are doing “active surveillance” of possible DCIS based on suspicious calcifications from a mammogram. My friend and co-founder of http://www.dcisredefined.org Sandie Walters and I have recently been contacted by someone from an online “cancer” magazine who is looking to interview women who are doing active surveillance of suspicious breast calcifications. Please contact […]
My Latest MRI Results…
“Normal findings. Nothing suspicious. No evidence of DCIS.” – Dr. Richard Reitherman, Medical Director of Breast imaging, Memorial Care Breast Center, Laguna Hills, CA — Feb. 3, 2014 How many Medical Directors are gracious enough to give out their direct cell # and actually answer the phone to discuss MRI results with patients? Praise for […]
Dr. Esserman Touts Tamoxifen
Armed with a list of questions, I enthusiastically flew to San Francisco to hear what Dr. Esserman had to say about my DCIS situation and her recommendations for risk reduction and monitoring. After waiting 2 hours in the lobby and 1.5 hours in the exam room, Dr. Esserman finally greeted me. (I learned this extremely […]