Breast implants — the cause of a rare type of lymphoma. The New York Times — about the disease about which the doctors know nothing
In March 2017 the Office of the food and drug administration said it was aware of nine cases of death due to lymphoma, the only reason is — breast implants. The New York Times tells the stories of women confronted with this disease, and explains what we know about him.
That breast implants can lead to a special kind of lymphoma, started to write since the mid-1990s. Researchers have published articles about individual cases, but to prove the relationship did not work. And just recently, the world health organization finally decided that it is possible to distinguish anaplastic large cell lymphoma arising in women with breast implants, in some disease. Cancer cells are in the fluid near the implant. They arise from cells of the immune system, which distinguishes the disease from breast cancer.
Until then, some women may not experience any symptoms, but then there is painful swelling, there is a buildup of fluid and can form a “lumps” in the breast or under the arm.
The risk of developing anaplastic large cell lymphoma in women with implants small. In the US and Europe is one in 30 thousand women with textured implants (implants with a rough surface; mainly lymphoma develops in the event that the implant if it is) in Australia for unknown reasons — one in 10 thousand or even a thousand. Although these risks seem small, you need to consider that more and more women to increase breast by using implants. Now in the United States each year this procedure is 400 thousand women.
No one knows exactly why implants can cause lymphoma, but scientists have a few suggestions. Many other types of lymphomas arise on a background of constant inflammation. Textured implants have a large area, respectively for bacteria a, and they can form a film, which leads to inflammation. And inflammation in turn, lymphoma. This usually occurs 8-10 years after surgery, but can happen in the interval from 2 to 32 years.
Due to the fact that this lymphoma is so rare, how it can best be treated, to the end not clear. Only at the end of 2016 the U.S. national universal cancer network has released guidance (in 2017 text updated). It is known that in most cases, this lymphoma can be cured, but as it is still know not all doctors, the diagnosis is sometimes put on too late.
Some heroines of the material to The New York Times lymphoma had to be treated after they got rid of breast cancer. After surgery they put breast implants, and this has led to a new cancer disease.