Margin Width: DCIS A recent study on the influence of margin width on local control of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) of the breast determined that postoperative radiation therapy did not lower the recurrence rate among patients with DCIS that was excised with margins of 10mm or more. DCIS is a noninvasive carcinoma that is unlikely to recur if completely excised. Margin width, the distance between the boundary of the lesion and the edge of the excised specimen, may be an important determinant of local recurrence. In this study, led by Dr. Melvin J. Silverstein of the USC School of Medicine, the margin widths of 469 specimens from patients who had been treated with breast-conserving surgery were evaluated. The results were analyzed in relation to margin width and whether or not the patient received postoperative radiation therapy. The average probability of recurrence was roughly 4% among 133 patients whose existed lesions had margin widths of 10mm or more in every direction. Among these patients there was no benefit from postoperative radiation therapy. There was also no statistically significant benefit from postoperative radiation therapy among patients with margin widths from 1 to 10mm. Patients in whom the margin width is less than 1mm can benefit from postoperative radiation therapy.
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