 The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing a possible link between breast implants and a form of cancer.The federal agency said on Wednesday that 13 years of research citing 34 cases of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) in breast implant patients has shown that individuals who undergo the procedure "may have a very small but increased risk of developing" the disease. It is usually a systemic disease, but in the cases linked to implants, the lymphoma grew in the breast, usually in the capsule of scar tissue that formed around the implant. "But with an estimated 5 to 10 million breast implant recipients worldwide, agency experts say the known ALCL cases are too few to say conclusively that breast implants cause the disease," the statement added Surge Desk offers a quick list of three other common hazards associated with breast implants.Breast augmentation surgery holds the same risks of most other common operations, including seroma and hematoma (fluid and blood build-up).
– Breast implants have been linked to an extremely rare but treatable cancer, the New York Times reports. It's called anaplastic large-cell lymphoma, and in these cases, it usually forms in the scar tissue around the implant. The link was seen in saline and silicone implants, and in both reconstructive implants for breast cancer sufferers and in cosmetic surgeries. The good news: Only about 60 cases have been reported worldwide—out of 5 million to 10 million women with implants. Given the rarity of the condition, the FDA said implants are still safe, though women considering them should factor it into their decision. One manufacturer of implants said "a woman is more likely to be struck by lightning than get this condition.” Most women diagnosed reported symptoms—including lumps, fluid buildup, pain, and swelling—long after they had healed from surgery. (Click for other health risks associated with implants.)