A woman undergoes wide local excision for DCIS. Margins are reported as 1 mm. According to current SSO-ASTRO consensus guidelines, what is the minimum acceptable margin width for DCIS treated with whole breast irradiation?
- A No tumour on ink (0 mm)
- B 1 mm
- C 2 mm ✓
- D 5 mm
Correct answer: C. 2 mm
Explanation
The 2016 SSO-ASTRO-ASCO consensus guideline on margins for DCIS treated with breast-conserving surgery and whole-breast irradiation recommends a minimum margin of 2 mm; a 1 mm margin is considered inadequate and re-excision should be discussed. This contrasts with invasive cancer, where 'no tumour on ink' is adequate.
Reference: Bailey & Love's Short Practice of Surgery, 27th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.