Several revelations of new cases of Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma have caused a concern online, as millions of women get breast implants every year throughout the world. In 2011, the Federal Drug Association first identified the possible correlation between breast implants and cancer. The FDA and WHO have consensus that BIA-ALCL T-Cell lymphoma can develop following breast implants. Data suggests that chances of cancer increase significantly in case of textured breast implants, as compared to smooth surfaces. The FDA updated its website regarding breast implant cancer in March, after it confirmed 9 deaths related to implants. The agency strongly recommends women getting breast implants to keep going to their doctors for regular checkups. However, FDA never recalled any implant in the US, despite receiving 359 reports of implant-associated lymphoma from around the world.
A latest article about a 33-year old woman named Raylene Hollrah getting fatal cancer after breast implants has caused a stir.
The trend of breast implants or fake breasts among women is on the rise around the world, especially in the US. According to a report, the number of women getting breast implants increased by 37% over the past 16 years. A whopping 400,000 women get breast implants every year, out of which 300,000 get for cosmetic reasons, while 100,000 get breast reconstruction after mastectomy.
In 2015, over 1.3 million women got breast implants round the world.
Perhaps the best treatment for breast cancer after breast implants is to remove the implants altogether and the related tissues.
Health insurers in the US do not cover breast implants, especially for those implanted for cosmetic reasons. This has resulted in a massive problem for thousands of women. A normal breast implant after mastectomy costs around $7,500.
Breast cancer after breast implants take about 2-28 years to develop. Women mostly stop going for regular checkups. Researches thus fear that over 30,000 women with textured implants are feared to get breast cancer in Europe and the US. But in Australia, one in every 1,000 women getting breast implants is expected to get the life-threatening disease.
Expects are still unable to find out the exact causes of Breast Implant-related lymphoma. A plausible theory suggests bacteria sticks itself to textured implants and form a ‘biofilm’ that causes chronic inflammation, eventually leading to lymphoma.