Last month, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review indicated a possible association between breast implants and a rare form of cancer, Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma. (ALCL).
ALCL is not a breast cancer. It occurs in different areas of the body including skin and the lymph nodes. ALCL is diagnosed in 1 out of 500,000 women each year in the United States. ALCL in breast tissue is found in 3 of every 100 million women without breast implants. It has been reported in only 34 cases of the estimated 10 million breast implants worldwide since 1989.
Earl Stephenson, Jr., M.D., a board certified plastic surgeon with Emory Eastside Medical Center, recommends the following:
- Health care providers should consider the possibility of ALCL if a patient has late onset persistent fluid around the implant (per-implant seroma)
- Women with implants do not need to change their routine medical care including mammograms and breast exams since ALCL is very rare
- Women should monitor their breast implants via self-breast exams and contact their physician if they notice any changes
- Women who are considering breast implant surgery should discuss the risks and benefits with a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
The FDA believes that the totality of the evidence continues to support an assurance that FDA approved breast implants are safe and effective when used as labeled.