October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and one part of the breast cancer conversation that deserves more attention is DCIS.
This year, it’s estimated that 321,910 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Another 60,730 women will be diagnosed with DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ), also known as “stage 0 breast cancer.”
DCIS differs from invasive breast cancer because the abnormal “pre-cancerous” cells are contained inside the milk ducts and have not spread to surrounding breast tissue.
The controversy around DCIS is that up to 80% of DCIS cases may never progress into invasive breast cancer, but women are often rushed into aggressive, disfiguring treatments out of fear.
This is why I wanted to talk with DCIS expert Donna Pinto. Donna was diagnosed with DCIS in 2010 and was told she had two options: a partial mastectomy plus radiation or a full mastectomy.
Donna didn’t like the options she was given, so she started researching and made drastic changes to her diet and lifestyle. She focused on vegetables, raw foods, green juices, and nutrient-dense plant foods. One month later, her pre-surgical MRI was clear. Her DCIS had healed.
In 2011, Donna founded DCIS 411 to help women better understand their diagnosis and treatment options. She has also served as a patient advocate and researcher with the COMET and PRECISION studies.
The COMET randomized clinical trial compared active monitoring versus standard treatment, including surgery, for women with certain types of low-risk DCIS. At two years, active monitoring was found to be just as safe as immediate treatment.
I’m thankful for Donna and the work she’s doing to educate and empower women to make informed decisions and not be rushed into treatment out of fear. Enjoy!
Watch our interview below, or listen to it on the Chris Beat Cancer podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Show Notes
-Why Donna questioned aggressive treatment for her DCIS diagnosis [2:30]
-Donna’s diet and lifestyle changes [4:15]
-DCIS over-diagnosis and over-treatment [8:30]
-Should DCIS even be called stage 0 breast cancer? [13:24]
-Absolute vs. relative risk and why the difference matters [15:58]
-The controversy around mammography [23:44]
-What women should know about mammography statistics [25:24]
-Four pathology reports with different results [29:05]
-What the COMET study says about active monitoring [33:30]
-What newer research suggests about DCIS becoming invasive [34:10]
-The importance of advocating for your choices [40:20]
-Becoming an informed and empowered patient [43:22]
Connect with Donna:
Website: www.DCIS411.com
Facebook: DCIS 411
Instagram: @DCIS411
X: @DCIS411
Other interviews mentioned during the interview:
Dr. Dean Ornish – UnDo It! How Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Reverse Most Chronic Diseases
Dr. Jenn Simmons, author of The Smart Woman’s Guide to Breast Cancer, on protecting yourself from PET/CT and mammogram radiation and new safe screening options
Dr. Jenn Simmons on the truth about mammograms and the best diet for breast health
Resources mentioned during the interview:
Dr. Michael Greger’s 14-part series on mammograms
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I created a coaching program and a private online support community to help you survive and thrive through cancer. The SQUARE ONE Program contains the step-by-step strategies used by myself and many others who have healed cancer with a holistic approach using evidence-based nutrition and natural non-toxic therapies.
This Post Has 2 Comments
Thank you for this interview. I found it Super informative. I’m going to follow up with a question..
This diagnosis is EXACTLY what I was diagnosed with in 2009! And I went through the entire rigamarole! One doctor pushed surgeries and fear so badly, I went with his recommendation. The first surgery did not have clear margins, and a second surgery was required. Then several weeks of radiation. I’ve been cancer free for 17 years now. After my diagnosis, two sisters and my mother actually found cancerous tumors/lumps and had to have surgeries and mastectomies. Thank you for this informative interview!! I wish I’d have know then what I know now!