Objective:

To identify clinical, radiological, and histopathological characteristics that could be predictive factors of microinvasive/invasive breast carcinoma in patients with diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) by core-needle biopsy.

Material and methods:

This is a retrospective study conducted from 2006-2017, which included women ≥18 years of age with initial DCIS, and who were treated with surgery. Final diagnosis was divided in DCIS and microinvasive/invasive carcinoma.

Results:

334 patients were included: 193 (57.8%) with DCIS and 141 (42.2%) with microinvasive/invasive carcinoma (microinvasive 5.1%, invasive 37.1%). Lymph node metastasis occurred in 16.3%. Differences between DCIS and microinvasive/invasive groups included the presence of palpable nodule (36.7% vs. 63.2%), radiological nodule (29% vs. 51%), bigger radiological-tumor size (1.2 cm vs. 1.7 cm), and larger microcalcification extension (2.5 cm vs. 3.1 cm), all of these variables p ≤0.05. Hormonal receptors and HER2 expression were similar. After logistic regression analysis, predictive factor of invasion was the presence of palpable nodule (OR = 4.072, 95%CI = 2.520–6.582, p <0.001) and radiological multicentric disease (OR = 1.677, 95%CI = 1.036–2.716, p = 0.035).

Conclusions:

In patients with DCIS, palpable nodule, and radiological multicentric disease, upgrade to microinvasive/invasive is high, and sentinel lymph node is recommended.