The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating a possible link between breast implants and the development of a rare form of cancer, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Anaplastic large cell lymphoma or ALCL is an extremely rare cancer, occurring in only about three of every 100 million women in the U.S. But new research has shown that odds increase dramatically after breast enhancement surgery: as many as 60 cases of ALCL have been identified worldwide in the five to ten million women with implants.
"Women who are not showing any symptoms or problems require only routine follow-up…. FDA is not recommending the routine removal of breast implants," said William Maisel, deputy director of the FDA’s medical device office.
Instead, the FDA is urging that these women be on the look out for symptoms, such as pain, swelling or lumps around the implants. They will also ask U.S. implant manufacturers to include information about ALCL on the product label.
ALCL is a treatable form of immune system cancer. Since it typically develops in the scar tissue of women who have had breast enhancement surgery, it is not breast cancer.