Breast Implant Link to Rare Cancer Further Explored

March 16, 2011— -- Breast implants have been linked with an indolent form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a small number of women -- a concern that has stirred up considerable controversy and charges that plastic surgeons may be misleading patients about the safety of the devices.

In January, an FDA review drew attention to reports of anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) in 34 women with implants, but advised that the disease was rare and the risk was minimal.

"Because the risk of ALCL appears very small, FDA believes that the totality of evidence continues to support a reasonable assurance that FDA-approved breast implants are safe and effective when used as labeled," the agency stated.

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But less than a month later, Dr. Sidney Wolfe and Dr. Michael Carome of Public Citizen contacted the FDA with information about a webinar sponsored by two plastic surgery organizations in which they advised their members to minimize the risks of ALCL among women with implants -- referring to it as a "condition" rather than a "cancer" or "tumor."

The organizations, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), denied trying to mislead patients, explaining that their intent was to help surgeons appropriately advise patients.

"The ASPS and the FDA agree this extremely rare form of lymphoma is not breast cancer. Of the estimated 10 million implants worldwide, only 34 cases of ALCL have been identified since 1989," reads a statement on the ASPS website.

"ASPS shares the FDA's commitment to patient safety, but we also want to make certain this information does not raise false alarms with our patients," the society's president Phillip Haeck, MD, said in a press release.

The ASPS also has agreed to work with the FDA to establish a breast-implant registry to track adverse events more closely.

Some answers to the controversy may be coming.