FDA Links Breast Implants To Deaths From Rare Type Of Cancer

Nine women have died of a rare type of lymphoma that Food and Drug Administration officials now say may be caused by breast implants.  This form of cancer, called breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), has occurred more often in women with implants that are textured rather than smooth, the FDA said Tuesday.  As of Feb. 1, the FDA said it had received reports of 359 cases of the implant-related cancer, including the nine deaths. Of those reports, 231 contained information about the surface of the implants. Among this group, textured implants made up 203 of the cases and smooth implants accounted for 28. It’s unclear why.  “All of the information to date suggests that women with breast implants have a very low but increased risk of developing ALCL compared to women who do not have breast implants,” the FDA announcement said.  Imperfect medical record-keeping complicates the task of knowing the full scope of the problem, according to the FDA.  In 2016, surgeons performed 290,467 breast augmentations, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.  Though not a type of breast cancer, the malignancy develops in scar tissue around the implant, The New York Times reported. It can take 10 years for the cancer to develop after an implant, NBC News reported. Symptoms often include pain, lumps and swelling.  Women with implants do not need immediate medical attention because of the link, the FDA ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news