Patient-Level Evaluation of Optimal Margin Width for Lumpectomy in Ductal Carcinoma In Situ: An Analysis of Patients in the National Cancer Database Special Study

The authors aimed to determine whether negative margins of less than 2 mm in breast-conserving surgery for ductal carcinoma in situ are associated with higher recurrence rates compared to margins of 2 mm or greater. An analysis of 11,156 patients revealed no significant difference in recurrence risk between the margin groups, except for women under 50 years of age, who showed a higher risk with narrower margins. This study suggests that the current recommendation for a 2 mm margin may not be necessary for all patients.