Hello.
Is it true that textured implants (round or teardrop) are cancer causing due to being textured?
There is a teactive tumor that is associated with textured implants that usually presents with swelling secondary to a reactive serous fluid biild up. The tumor is identified as ALCL and is treatable if diagnosed early. An MRI can identify abnormality which should be addressed by a surgeon.
Yes, the past two days an FDA panel was meeting about BIA-ALCL—a rare, mostly curable, but REAL lymphoma associated with breast implants that are textured. The media is reporting this as if this is new to us. The plastic surgery community has know about this for years and since 2011 the FDA has issued a warning until we get more info. Our community has been working hard to clearly understand the risk and real % of this disease, since clearly it is a low percentage of patients with textured implants (somewhere between 1/3000 and 1/60000). My point is, our community is on the side of our patients. For now, it doesn’t mean textured implants can’t or shouldn’t be used because of such a low risk and a VERY curable problem if caught early. But nobody is forcing anyone to have them without being informed. There have been many publications, studies, and conferences on this topic that I’ve read and attended. Please be careful of the HYPE and HYPERBOLE of the media. Hope this rant helps:)
Thank you for sharing your question. There is a new lymphoma that has been associated in women who previously had, or currently have, textured implants. Because of the rarity of the condition, best to talk to your surgeon as they can give you the full details on what the medical community currently knows.
Really good question. The answer is yes- there is a very rare type of lymphoma called Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lyphoma. Only about 600 cases have been reported world-wide, meaning the risk is very low. But the cases that have been reports do all seem to be associated with textured implants.
The good news is BIA-ALCL is very treatable- removal of the implants and surrounding capsule is often curative.
In the meantime, many surgeons (including myself) are using only smooth implants.
It would appear that textured implants are implicated much more frequently than smooth surfaced implants in the the occurrence of ALCL, which is a rare type of cancer associated with breast implants. However the FDA has not moved against textured implants and is still building a consensus among scientists, manufacturers and surgeons concerning how to approach this rare but serious condition.