The incidence of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has increased markedly with the introduction of population-based mammographic screening. DCIS is usually diagnosed non-operatively. Although sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNB) has become the standard of care for patients with invasive breast carcinoma, its use in patients with DCIS is controversial.AIM: To examine the justification for offering SNB at the time of primary surgery to patients with a needle core biopsy (NCB) diagnosis of DCIS.