Assessing Cancer Risk for Breast Implants
- “Baywatch” star Nicole Eggert, 51, says her breast implants prevented her from discovering a lump in her breast sooner, potentially delaying her diagnosis. She did not go as far as to say her implants caused her cancer. Eggert was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer while performing a self-exam of her breasts.
- Questions surrounding whether breast implants cause cancer have lingered for years. However, following a report released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) report on the issue, some SurvivorNet experts believe that although “cancers found in the implant capsules is concerning and further investigation is needed,” there’s still no significant need to sound the alarm.
- The FDA’s report last year draws attention to a small number of cases of breast implants linked to squamous cell carcinoma – a type of skin cancer – and lymphoma – a type of cancer that starts in the lymphatic system.
- “Approximately 400,000 women” have implants each year. The incidence rate of these cancers is approximately “0.00075% or 1 in every 133,000 women,” Mount Sinai’s Dr. Sarah Cate, the lead physician for the Special Surveillance Breast Program at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, and Dr. Jordan Jacobs, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon tell SurvivorNet.
- The FDA pinpointed textured implant manufacturer Allergan to remove some of its textured breast implants and tissue expanders from the market amid its report.
- Our experts say anyone with breast implants should contact their physician if they experience breast swelling, pain, redness, tightening, or a change in the shape of their breasts.
“Baywatch” star Nicole Eggert, 51, kicked off the new year with an emotional stage 2 breast cancer diagnosis. The actress now believes she knows how the lump went unnoticed early on – her breast implants.
For years, many have speculated if breast implants elevate cancer risk. Last year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drew attention to less than two dozen cases of skin and blood cancer possibly linked to implants. However, SurvivorNet experts Dr. Sarah Cate and Dr. Jordan Jacobs at Mount Sinai health system in NY stress “just how small the incidence is” of these cancer-related cases compared to the total number of women receiving breast implants each year.
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A self-breast exam is an easy way to keep watch for anything abnormal regarding your breasts. It involves feeling the breast for any swelling, bulging, or changes in the shape of the breast or nipple. Checking for signs of redness, rashes, or discharge is also part of this exam. If anything is found that is concerning, you should contact your doctor. It’s important to note that self-exams should be done with regular mammograms.
WATCH: How to Perform a Self-Exam
Eggert told Inside Edition, “If I didn’t have them (breast implants) and I had my smaller, natural breasts, I am sure I would have felt it much sooner,” regarding the discovery of the lump in her breast.
The former “Baywatch” star admitted she felt pressured into breast enhancement while wearing swimsuits on the show.
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Can Breast Implants Contribute to Cancer
Eggert places some of the blame on her diagnosis on her decision to get implants, claiming it masked finding the lump sooner. However, questions surrounding whether the implants themselves cause cancer have lingered for years.
Last year, the FDA released safety communication regarding the potential risks of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and lymphoma, a type of cancer that starts in the lymphatic system.
SCC is among the most common types of skin cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, squamous cells are “thin, flat cells that form the top layer of the epidermis.” This skin cancer type isn’t life-threatening and grows slowly, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association.
The FDA’s safety communication indicated it received ten medical device reports about squamous cell carcinoma. A medical device reporting is a method the FDA uses to collect and analyze data about a marketed device scientifically. The federal agency says it also received 12 reports about varying types of lymphomas related to breast implants.
“The report states that the FDA is aware of 19 cases of SCC in the capsule around the breast implant from published literature,” noting the information includes the FDA’s review of medical literature and reports.
“There have been reports in the literature of deaths from progression of the disease. While the FDA continues to believe that occurrences of SCC in the capsule around the breast implant may be rare, the cause, incidence, and risk factors remain unknown.”
The warning follows previous reports of SCC and various lymphomas (cancer of the immune system) related to breast implants. The various lymphomas noted differ from those previously described by the FDA as Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).
The FDA pinpointed textured implant manufacturer Allergan to remove some of its textured breast implants and tissue expanders from the market amid its report.
“Based on the currently available information, including data submitted in 2019, our analysis demonstrates that the risk of BIA-ALCL with Allergan BIOCELL textured implants is approximately six times the risk of BIA-ALCL with textured implants from other manufacturers marketing in the U.S.,” an FDA spokesperson wrote to SurvivorNet in an email.
You can find a complete list of recalled styles here.
What Doctors Say About Implant and Cancer Risk?
“There is little detail regarding the severity of the cancers and the types of implants to which they are linked,” Dr. Cate and Dr. Jacobs said.
“[However] the fact that the cancers were found in the implant capsules is certainly concerning and requires further investigation,” Dr. Cate and Dr. Jacobs continued.
Mount Sinai’s Dr. Sarah Cate is the lead physician for the Special Surveillance Breast Program at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, and Dr. Jordan Jacobs is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon.
“There are approximately 400,000 women who have implants placed per year for either reconstructive or cosmetic purposes,” Dr. Cate and Dr. Jacobs told SurvivorNet. “If you consider a 10-year follow-up period, the incidence of these cancers is approximately 0.00075%. In other words, 1 in every 133,000 women.”
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