While not commonly asked, one of the first questions a potential breast augmentation should ask is...does the breast implant interfere with being able to detect breast cancer? Since breast cancer in the United States affects one in 11 women during their lifetime, this is a fairly important question. As breast augmentation procedures continue to be on the rise, this important question should be thoroughly addressed.
In a recently published analysis of this topic by Dr. Neal Handel of Santa Barbara, California in the December 2007 Supplement issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, he does exactly that. Using over 4,000 patients over a 23 year period, he assessed how easily mammography detected breast lesions. Women with breast implants presented more frequently with breast masses, invasive tumors, and axillary node spread. However, there was no significant difference in stage of disease, tumor size, recurrence, or survival between the two groups. Despite the diminished sensitivity of mammograms to detect breast cancer in women with implants, nonaugmented women and augmented women are diagnosed at similar stages of disease and have similar prognoses. In women with breast implants, the use of conservation therapy (which almost always involves radiation) in breast cancer treatment resulted in a high rate of implant contarctures and poor cosmetic outcomes as a result.
In a companion study in the same Supplement, Dr. Dennis Deapen of Los Angeles, California evaluated literature over the past 20 years which examined breast cancer-related risks among breast implant patients. He found that women with breast implants do not experience delayed detection of breast cancer. He summarized that breast implants are not associated with an increased risk of breast cancer incidence or death and these patients do not experience delayed detection or poorer survival after breast cancer treatments.
These two published studies should go far to alleviate any concerns in potential and existing breast implant patients about the detection and treatment of breast cancer.
Dr Barry Eppley is a board-certified plastic surgeon in private practice in Indianapolis, Indiana at Clarian Health Systems. (http://www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com) He writes a daily blog on plastic surgery, spa therapies, and medical skin care at http://www.exploreplasticsurgery.com
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