A deadly cancer linked to breast implants has been found in more women in the United States, federal health officials said.
At least 457 women in the United States have been diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma, the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement on Wednesday. Of those, nine have died from the rare cancer, which affects cells in the immune system and can be found around the breast implant.
Women with breast implants have an increased risk of developing anaplastic large cell lymphoma, the FDA said, compared with women who don’t have breast implants.
“We hope this information will prompt providers and patients to have important, informed conversations about breast implants,” the federal agency said.
Warning letter to doctors
“We want all health care providers to be aware … especially in patients with new swelling, lumps, or pain around breast implants, to expedite the diagnosis of this malignancy,” the letter said.
“We also urge health care providers to report cases of breast implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma to the FDA. (BIA-ALCL) in patients with breast implants. This includes reporting individual cases as well as rates you may have seen in your practice.
Most of the cancers have occurred in people who had textured, rather than smooth, surfaces on their implants. The disease is slow-growing and treatable if it’s caught early.
“When breast implants are placed in the body, they are placed behind the breast tissue or under the pectoral muscle,” the letter said.
“Over time, a fibrous scar called a capsule forms around the implant, separating it from the rest of the breast. In patients with breast implants, reported cases of BIA-ALCL have generally been found adjacent to the implant itself and contained within the fibrous capsule.”
Millions of women have breast implants
About 10 to 11 million women worldwide have breast implants, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the Plastic Surgeon Foundation.
The FDA first raised the possibility of the disease in 2011, saying there was a small but significant risk of developing the cancer after getting breast implants. It asked doctors if they’d noticed any changes in their patients and urged women to watch for symptoms such as fluid build-up or a mass around their implants. Symptoms of cancer also include swelling and redness around the breast implants.
Since this report, the scientific community has learned more about the link between breast implants and anaplastic large cell lymphoma.
People considering surgery should do their research and discuss the risks and benefits of textured and smooth-surfaced implants with their surgeons, the FDA has warned in the past.
It said those who have breast implants should monitor them for any changes and get routine screenings such as mammograms or MRIs.
