Carcinoma in Situ

What are the treatments for the disease?

Removing all of the cancerous tissue is the primary treatment. This can be done by surgery. Removing the cancer can also be done by destroying the area chemically, with chemotherapy, or with radiation therapy.

What are the side effects of the treatments?

Because the affected area is small, the side effects and discomfort are minimal.

What happens after treatment for the disease?

Sometimes, the presence of one carcinoma in situ can mean that others will form. The doctor will want to monitor the person closely to see whether carcinoma in situ comes back at the same spot or whether a new one develops somewhere else.

How is the disease monitored?

The affected area will be closely monitored. For example, a woman with carcinoma in situ of the cervix will need more frequent Pap smears than a woman without cancer. A woman with carcinoma in situ of the breast will need more frequent mammograms. A person who has had carcinoma in situ of the bladder will require frequent examinations of the bladder wall.