In 2011, My Doctor Told Me: “Your Breast is Like Spoiled Soup… It’s Not Worth Saving.”
I Proved Her Wrong. 16 Years Post DCIS — Never “Cancer!” “Highly suspicious for malignancy,” was written on my mammography report in June 2011. NOW, my doctor told me, “It’s likely INVASIVE cancer.” “Active surveillance” had been my personal choice since a diagnosis of intermediate grade DCIS in January 2010. I declined all the “standard […]
“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 […]
Yes to QT Imaging! Yes to Safer Breast Screening! Yes to Preventing DCIS Overdiagnosis & Overtreatment! Yes to Nutrition & Holistic Wellness!
QT Imaging is the future of breast screening! It is has no radiation, no compression and no contrast dye. This technology has arrived at LongevityRx, a wonderful new “Preventative” Health Center in San Diego! I attended their Grand Opening on February 28, 2026… Listen to a short interview I did with team member Jenna…. LongevityRx […]
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, […]
Warning: Cancer Screening May Harm Your Health
Has your doctor warned you about potential risks and harms of cancer screening? Mine didn’t. I learned the hard way. My story is featured in an article in THE EPOCH TIMES, published January 7, 2026: What to Know Before Saying Yes to Routine Screenings: Screening can catch disease early–or turn healthy people into patients. “Donna […]
Donna’s 16 Year Update — Smashing Myths, Advocating for Change & My Nonprofit Mission
Despite being told, “Your breast is like spoiled soup; it isn’t worth saving,” I declined all further “standard of care” treatment recommendations in 2011. I said good-bye forever to fear-mongering doctors and forged my own path to health and well-being. It’s now 16 years later. I never developed invasive cancer. I became a passionate advocate […]
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.
Is DCIS Cancer? Rethinking the “Carcinoma” in Stage Zero Breast Cancer
Women diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) have been told they have “stage zero breast cancer”, creating fear and urgency to treat it aggressively. But a growing body of research challenges whether DCIS should even be called cancer in the first place.
Announcing My New eBook!! Opting Out… Is an Informed Choice: Experts Explain the Harms of Mammograms
On this meaningful date 4-11, I am thrilled to finally publish the first edition of my eBook, a project which began over 15 years ago when I started researching this topic! This is my gift to you — my supporters — and all women everywhere. Please click on the cover image to download the eBook […]
Cheers to 15 years — NEVER Cancer!
It’s my 15 year Overdiagnosis Day! January 19, 2010 — my life changed forever. This was the day I was given a diagnosis of something I had never heard of before. It was called Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) and it was described as a “pre-cancer.” But…..because of uncertainty about a potential future real INVASIVE […]
Mammograms… Are Women Given Informed Consent?
I think we can all agree, when it comes to our health, we would prefer clear information on risks and benefits vs being oversold. But, when it comes to mammograms, most women do not even realize they have NOT been given informed consent. Many say they feel encouraged, pressured, and even coerced into scheduling a […]
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.
In 2011, My Doctor Told Me: “Your Breast is Like Spoiled Soup… It’s Not Worth Saving.”
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 months religiously implementing holistic diet and lifestyle strategies since a diagnosis of intermediate grade ductal […]
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!
“When is Cancer Not Really Cancer?” — Update from PRECISION (PREvent ductal Carcinoma In Situ Invasive Overtreatment Now)
“PRECISION aims to enable patients and clinicians to make informed, biology-based decisions to avoid unnecessary and burdensome treatment of indolent DCIS. The answer can only be found by synergistic collaboration between leading scientists, clinicians and patient advocates. There is a wide spectrum of DCIS ranging from low to high risk. “Low-risk” means it is more […]
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 […]
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 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 23 — Double Mastectomies for DCIS?
Did you know… “Many women who have DCIS are choosing not to just to get a mastectomy, but to get a bilateral mastectomy and have both breasts removed.” – Otis Brawley, NPR “More women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) are choosing to add contralateral prophylactic mastectomy to their treatment, despite the paucity of evidence […]
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 10 — UNACCEPTABLE Rates of Failed Surgeries & When to Say “NO MORE”
Did you know… The percentage of women who need a 2nd or 3rd surgery after a lumpectomy, (also called breast conserving surgery (BCS) or partial mastectomy) is alarmingly high — especially for DCIS (stage ZERO breast cancer). One study showed 48% to 59%. I wrote The Insanity of DCIS Surgery after a 2nd surgery in Oct […]
31 Days of “Little Known” FACTS — For Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Day 8 — Overdiagnosis Devastates Lives
Did you know… Overdiagnosis of DCIS Devastates the Lives of Tens of Thousands of Healthy Women Every Year. In this country, the huge jump in D.C.I.S. diagnoses potentially transforms some 50,000 healthy people a year into “cancer survivors” and contributes to the larger sense that breast cancer is “everywhere,” happening to “everyone.” That, in turn, […]
The Importance of Being Informed, Treated with Compassion, and Advocating for Active Surveillance — Nancy Riopel’s Enlightening DCIS Story
“Please, if you take one thing from my experience, consider the importance of being informed and being willing to advocate for the treatment options that you feel are best for you. I am not DCIS, I am not a ‘tumor’ and I am not just a ‘patient’. I am a mother, a daughter, a sister, […]
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 […]
Thankful for PCORI & Patient-Centered Research
I recently had the opportunity to attend the annual meeting of PCORI — Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. Three days of presentations and panel discussions all focused on one recurring theme: Patient voices, preferences, values, experiences, and outcomes matter. I felt like I was in patient advocate heaven. Suzannah Fox, former Chief Technology Officer of the […]
What is “Low-risk” DCIS & Why is The COMET Study Urgently Needed?
The COMET Study is the nation’s first prospective, randomized clinical trial aimed at resolving an ongoing debate about the best way to manage “low-risk” DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ), also known as “stage zero” breast cancer. “This is a trial whose time has come. Many of us have felt for two decades that this study […]
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 […]
Evaluating DCIS treatments — do you know your “survival” statistics?
“There is strong evidence that treatment of DCIS in most women has no clear effect on mortality reduction.” – Finding the balance between over- and under-treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) “Risk of development of metastases and/or death in a patient diagnosed with pure DCIS is very low (<1%).” Ductal Carcinoma-In-Situ of the Breast […]
Keeping Patient Perspectives at the Forefront of DCIS Research
Patient Advocates from across the US and around the world came together to share insights about DCIS at the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. The COMET Study Patient Leadership Team presented “Changing the DCIS Conversation: Development of an Alternative Discourse by Patient Advocate Stakeholders in the COMET Study.” Advocates from the US, UK and the Netherlands […]
Active Surveillance P L U S (Proactive – Lifestyle – Understanding – Support) — Donna’s Vision
“Active surveillance” of a “potential cancerous condition” through periodic medical imaging in itself can be extremely stressful — and the anxiety, worry, and fear of cancer developing or progressing may not go away as time goes on. Active Surveillance P L U S is my vision. It is a holistic approach to cancer prevention, […]
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!
DCIS Decision-Making — What Makes Us Different?
Why is it that a majority of women diagnosed with DCIS choose the path of “standard” aggressive treatment (mastectomy or lumpectomy plus weeks of radiation and years of “prevention” drugs), while a small minority say “NO WAY — this is OVER-TREATMENT?” Is it fear of invasive breast cancer and potential early death? Is it a […]
The Downside of Mammograms – What Your Doctor May Not Be Telling You
Peter Gotzsche, M.D., author of Mammography Screening: Truth, Lies and Controversy, states, “Screening saves probably one life for every 2,000 women who go for a mammogram. But it harms 10 others. Cancerous cells that will go away or never progress to disease in the woman’s lifetime are excised with surgery and sometimes (six times in 10) […]
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 […]
Interview with Donna: The Dilemma of Overdiagnosis
Click here to listen to a very important discussion/interview regarding my experiences with DCIS, the problem with mammograms and the “Dilemma of Over-diagnosis.” Thank you Connie Bowman for shining the light on this very important topic on your podcast “HAPPY HEALTHY YOU”!
Listen to My Phone Consultation with Dr. Michael Lagios
It was November 3, 2011 when I had a phone consultation with Dr. Michael D. Lagios, a nationally recognized breast pathologist and medical director of The Breast Cancer Consultation Service. As I wrote about in “Donna’s Journey,” the information I learned from Dr. Lagios gave me tremendous peace of mind (being that he downgraded the DCIS removed […]
DCIS is NOT Cancer!
“DCIS is not cancer, so why are we calling it cancer and always treating it like it is cancer?” These are the words of Dr. Laura Esserman, Director of the Carol Franc Buck Breast Care Center at the University of California, San Francisco. She posed this question while speaking at the Australian Breast Cancer Conference […]
My 2 Hour Consultation with Dr. Gordon Saxe, Center for Integrative Medicine, UCSD
After reading this short description about Dr. Saxe, I got excited… Preventive and Natural Medicine Counseling (Nutrition, Supplements, Herbs); Integrative Oncology (specializing in Breast & Prostate Cancers) So, I clicked to learn more… Dr. Gordon Saxe is the Director of Research, a preventive and integrative medicine physician, a founding member of the UCSD Center for […]
“Beware Pink Fuzzy Dice” — Radio Interview with Donna Pinto
I was interviewed today on “Freedom For All” radio show: http://lnkd.in/b5KSZVx Thanks to Jim and Jennifer Ellis for shining the light….the TRUTH shall set us FREE from Mammograms and Pink Fuzzy Dice! Also, be sure to check out my article and send to all the women you know and love: Less Pink – More GREEN: An Intelligent […]
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 […]
Great Gratitude & Great “Finds”
As 2013 comes to a close, I want to express my heart-felt gratitude for all of the wonderful women who have contributed their wisdom, support, resources and personal stories on this site. Four years ago, I felt like I was completely alone in my relentless questioning of the “standard of care” regarding DCIS. Yet I […]
The Blessings of DCIS
It’s been nearly four years since my journey with DCIS began. And while the beginning seemed to be a total nightmare — filled with extreme stress, overwhelm, confusion and fear — I now see the many blessings that this crazy DCIS has brought to my life… and to others. Here are just 3… 1.) DCIS fueled […]
Less Pink – More GREEN: An Intelligent and Urgent Makeover for “Breast Cancer Awareness Month”
by Donna B. Pinto Pinktober is in full swing. Many of us (including me) have eagerly written checks to show support “for the cure.” But what if all the highly successful pink “awareness” campaigns have been focusing time, money and research in the wrong direction? What if “early detection” and screening mammograms don’t really save lives, but actually harm lives? According to Overdiagnosed: Making People […]
MRI is Better than Mammography for “Early Detection”
A study by researchers at the University of Bonn has shown that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is more accurate than mammography in diagnosing very early stages of breast cancer. A total of 7319 women were investigated by Professor Kuhl and her colleagues over five years using both methods. In 167 of them they found early […]
How to Feel Better and Better…No Matter What!
The mind is a funny thing. It has enormous power to create total wellness as well as perpetuate all kinds of dis-ease. The amazing thing is we can change our circumstances just by changing the way we view them. A health challenge or problem can be overwhelming. There’s a ton of well-meaning opinions, studies and […]
Donna’s Daily Rx…
BREAKFAST 2 capsules of rm-10 (mushroom blend) from Garden of Life 1 cup reverse-osmosis water with lemon, chlorophyll & minerals 1-2 cups veggie-protein-flax smoothie (see “Liquid Love.”) 1-2 slices of gluten free or whole grain toast w coconut oil and almond butter * veggie scramble w rice cake and garlic spread (1-2 x/week) 1-2 cups organic coffee […]
48 and Feeling Great… Great… Grateful!
Today is my 48th Birthday! My 10 year old son Cody said to me, “there is no way you are 48. Maybe low – mid 30s!” Thanks Cody for reminding me that age is just a #. What’s most important is how we feel… and how we feel on the inside can’t help but shine […]
HIKE PREPARATION & CANCER PREVENTION: A Common Thread
What does preparation for a grueling hike up a 10,000 foot mountain have in common with DCIS and breast cancer prevention? 1. Investigation: Both require gathering information and understanding what you are facing. 2. Training: Practice, practice, practice makes for success. Daily exercise is also a well known contributor to cancer prevention. The side effects are a […]
My Choice for NO RADIATION & NO MORE MAMMOGRAMS
“The most benign-appearing forms of DCIS (for example, low nuclear grade, small-celled without necrosis, estrogen- and progesterone-receptor positive,c-erbB2 negative, etc.), if untreated, may never cause clinical disease. Less than 50% of low-grade lesions develop into invasive breast cancer over a 25- to 30-year period. This finding goes back to an issue raised earlier as to whether […]
Peace, Love & “The Science of Happiness”
How have I managed to stay calm, happy and filled with gratitude throughout my two year DCIS roller coaster ride filled with mammograms, MRIs, 1 needle biopsy, 3 surgeries, waiting for pathology results, multiple opinions, information overload and doctors who continually try to scare the (bleep) out of me? Everything I know about staying calm – no matter […]
2nd Opinions Matter!!!
I can not stress how grateful I am to Sandie Walters for creating a website “DCIS Without Rads” about her DCIS story and referring me to Dr. Michael Lagios, a 30 year DCIS expert and pathologist who offers a 2nd opinion consultation service. His evaluation of my actual pathology slides brought great peace of mind […]