If you have ever considered getting breast implants, you’ve most likely weighed the pros and cons of putting a foreign object into your body. For example, you may have asked yourself “does this put me at risk for developing cancer?” Although rare, there is the possibility that breast implants can make you sick.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned doctors and their patients about rare cases of squamous cell carcinoma and various lymphomas developing in the scar tissue that forms around breast implants.
These cancers are different than an earlier FDA warning about Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).
Federal regulators discovered reports of the cancers as part of their routine post-market review and cautioned that their understanding of what’s going on is still evolving.
So far, cases are rare: There have been fewer than 20 cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and fewer than 30 cases of various lymphomas reported in the capsule around breast implants, the FDA said.
“While the FDA believes that occurrences of SCC or various lymphomas in the capsule around the breast implant may be rare, health care providers and people who have or are considering breast implants should be aware that cases have been reported to the FDA and in the literature,” the FDA said in its warning.
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Symptoms of these cancers can include swelling, pain, lumps or skin changes.
Cases have included those happening in women who have had implants for years. Reports have been made for both saline and silicone breast implants, as well as for those that are textured and smooth.
Breast implants are used for women who have lost tissue due to cancer and trauma, for those who want to increase breast size and to correct past surgeries. They are implanted under the breast tissue or chest muscle.
Two types of implants are approved in the United States — those filled with saline and those filled with silicone. Both types have a silicone shell. Implants can vary in size, shell thickness, surface texture and shape.
Typically, the longer a woman has them, the more likely it is they will need to be removed or replaced.
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If you have or are considering implants, you do not need to change your routine medical care. However, you should learn more about the risks and benefits of breast implants, according to the FDA.
Here is a general list of complications that may occur from breast implants, according to the FDA:
| Complication | Description |
| Asymmetry | The breasts are uneven in appearance in terms of size, shape or breast level. |
| Breast Pain | Pain in the nipple or breast area |
| Breast Tissue Atrophy | Thinning and shrinking of the skin |
| Calcification/Calcium Deposits | Hard lumps under the skin around the implant. These can be mistaken for cancer during mammography, resulting in additional surgery. |
| Capsular Contracture | Tightening of the tissue capsule around an implant, resulting in firmness or hardening of the breast and squeezing of the implant if severe. |
| Chest Wall Deformity | Chest wall or underlying rib cage appears deformed. |
| Deflation | Leakage of the saltwater (saline) solution from a saline-filled breast implant, often due to a valve leak or a tear or cut in the implant shell (rupture), with partial or complete collapse of the implant. |
| Delayed Wound Healing | Incision site fails to heal normally or takes longer to heal. |
| Extrusion | The skin breaks down and the implant appears through the skin. |
| Hematoma | Collection of blood near the surgical site. May cause swelling, bruising and pain. Hematomas usually occur soon after surgery, but can occur any time there is injury to the breast. The body may absorb small hematomas, but large ones may require medical intervention, such as surgical draining. |
| Iatrogenic Injury/Damage | Injury or damage to tissue or implant as a result of implant surgery |
| Infection, including Toxic Shock Syndrome | Occurs when wounds are contaminated with microorganisms, such as bacteria or fungi. Most infections resulting from surgery appear within a few days to a week, but infection is possible any time after surgery. If an infection does not respond to antibiotics, the implant may need to be removed |
| Inflammation/Irritation | Response by the body to an infection or injury. Demonstrated by redness, swelling, warmth, pain and or/loss of function. |
| Lymphedema or Lymphadenopathy | Swollen or enlarged lymph nodes |
| Malposition/Displacement | The implant is not in the correct position in the breast. This can happen during surgery or afterwards if the implant moves or shifts from its original location. Shifting can be caused by factors such as gravity, trauma or capsular contracture. |
| Necrosis | Dead skin or tissue around the breast. Necrosis can be caused by infection, use of steroids in the surgical breast pocket, smoking, chemotherapy/radiation, and excessive heat or cold therapy. |
| Nipple/Breast Sensation Changes | An increase or decrease in the feeling in the nipple and/or breast. Can vary in degree and may be temporary or permanent. May affect sexual response or breast feeding. |
| Palpability | The implant can be felt through the skin. |
| Ptosis | Breast sagging that is usually the result of normal aging, pregnancy or weight loss. |
| Redness/Bruising | Bleeding at the time of surgery can cause the skin to change color. This is an expected symptom due to surgery, and is likely temporary. |
| Rupture | A tear or hole in the implant’s outer shell. |
| Seroma | Collection of fluid around the implant. May cause swelling, pain and bruising. The body may absorb small seromas. Large ones will require a surgical drain. |
| Skin Rash | A rash on or around the breast. |
| Unsatisfactory Style/Size | Patient or doctor is not satisfied with the overall look based on the style or size of the implant used. |
| Visibility | The implant can be seen through the skin. |
| Wrinkling/Rippling | Wrinkling of the implant that can be felt or seen through the skin. |
You should also monitor your implants for as long as you have them. If you notice any changes, contact your surgeon or other health care provider immediately.
As for whether or not you should have your implants removed?
The FDA is not suggesting women remove their implants because of this safety announcement. However, if you do experience a problem, you should file a report through MedWatch, the FDA’s Safety Information and Adverse Events Reporting program.
The FDA plans to continue working with others to gather and review data.
For more information on breast implant complications, click here.
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