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Women who have undergone a double mastectomy to treat ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a noninvasive form of breast cancer also known as stage 0 breast cancer, may not benefit from routine mammograms or other breast imaging after surgery, according to a new study led by investigators at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The study, published in Surgical Oncology Insight, found that most cancer recurrences were detected after patients developed symptoms or doctors noticed concerning changes, rather than through routine screening. The findings suggest that routine imaging may offer limited benefit for women who have no symptoms after double mastectomy.

"Our findings raise an important question about the value of continued screening after cancer treatment for women with DCIS," said Dr. Nimmi Kapoor, associate professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and senior author of the study. "This highlights the importance of appropriate clinical follow-up and making sure patients and their physicians know what changes to look for."

DCIS is a noninvasive form of breast cancer in which abnormal cells develop inside the milk ducts but have not spread into surrounding breast tissue. It is typically treated with surgery, either by removing the affected tissue or the entire breast. Although outcomes are generally excellent, an increasing number of women with DCIS are choosing to have both breasts removed, even when cancer is found in only one breast, despite a lack of evidence that the more extensive surgery improves survival.

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