Some women who get breast implants can be up to 16 times more likely to develop a deadly blood cancer, suggests a study funded by the government.
About one in 500 women – the equivalent of 34 million in the US – has a genetic mutation that seems to increase the risk that tumors are in scar tissue around breast implants.
Known as breast implant-associed anaplasticly large cellmphoma (BIA-alcl), the cancer develops when the raw surface of textured breast implants causes inflammation that damages DNA and ensures that cells in cancer cells mutate.
Most patients survive when the implants are removed, but if it is not detected, it can spread elsewhere in the body and become deadly.
Dr. Paula Ghione, main investigator and lymphoma specialist at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, said: ‘If we look at the absolute figures [seen in this study]It is still quite rare.
“But the most important thing to note is that when we look at women with this genetic predisposition, there is a big leap in the percentage with this lymphoma.”
Of the 300,000 American women who receive breast implants every year, nine in 10 flexible implants, which are not associated with an increased risk of cancer.
The women who run the risk of BIA-Alcl are people with mutations for their BRCA genes-sums the ‘Angelina Jolie Gene’-What considerably increases the risk of a woman on developing breast and ovarian cancer.
Blake Lively (left) and Kylie Jenner both had surgeons from breast implants
In 2023, the newest available data, the FDA reported 1,264 cases of BIA-Alcl and 63 deaths in the US.
For their studies, published in the magazine Blood Advances, researchers Followed 3,000 breast cancer survivors at MSKCC who had breast implants after a double breast amputation.
Double breast stamps are intended to prevent breast cancer from spreading to other parts of the body.
Of these, 520 were tested on BRCA mutations.
About eight percent of patients, 43, who were tested for BRCA mutations became carriers.
After having followed the women on average, the researchers discovered that those with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations had a 16-time increased risk of BIA-Alcl. They also discovered that women with BIA-Alcl ‘considerably’ more likely to have BRCA mutations.
Dr. Gione said: ‘Our findings show that BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are a significant risk factor for developing this type of lymphoma, which confirms earlier suggestions of a possible role.
“It is possible that implant-associated lymphoma is another cancer that can arise because of these genetic mutations.”
Researchers said that although BIA-Alcl is still rare, women with BRCA mutations should be careful before they get textured breast implants (stock image)
Breast implants with structured surfaces that can feel like sandpaper, are thought to create space where bacteria can gather and form biofilms, or collections of microorganisms.
These harmful biofilms can cause an inflammatory response, which damages DNA and ensures that cells in cancer cells mutate.
Silicone can also lead to inflammation in some implants.
Because the risk of BIA-Alcl is so low, the FDA does not recommend structuring implants removed unless women experience symptoms, including pain, lumps, swelling or unexpected changes in breast shape.
Dr. Ghione said: ‘The implants that are now being introduced are theoretically safe; However, there are still many women who live with textured breast implants, so it is important that women know which implants they have and talk to their doctor and remember to report this operation as part of their medical history. ‘
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