Nine deaths linked to rare cancer from breast implants

At least one local plastic surgeon is informing his current and prospective patients, nine women's deaths occurred due to a rare cancer linked to breast implants.

"I don't want to scare them, but this more an opportunity to tell them, you know what, perhaps you should invest in an MRI, two or three years, especially if you have these kinds of implants."

Dr. John Anastasatos cites a recent FDA report that found the problem is more common in women with textured implants. That being said, it's still a rare occurrence.

Overall there have been 359 cases of anaplastic large-cell lymphoma with nine deaths in all women with implants in the U.S. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 400 thousand people get breast augmentation or restoration in 2016.

Dr. Heather McArthur, a medical oncologist at Cedars Sinai, says there's not yet enough information to explain why the cancer occurs more often with the textured implant. " It maybe that the textured implant causes more inflammation, but right now all that's theoretical."
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The FDA is not recommending women with textured implants have them removed, instead, doctors should consider the possibility of lymphoma if a patient develops breast problems.

Dr. Anastasatos advises his patients to look for rippling, masses and swelling. "Any unilateral change in volume, needs to be evaluated." See your plastic surgeon regularly and get an MRI every couple of years.

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