Cosmetic Question: Will having breast implants increase my risk of getting cancer or of a cancer being missed?
Cosmetic Answer: This is a very important question – no woman would want to risk breast cancer in exchange for implants. In fact, this concern led the FDA to stop the use of silicone gel implants for cosmetic breast enlargement from 1996 until 2007 – to allow research into this question, among others.
Research before, during and after that time showed two consistent findings:
Having implants makes breast cancer much easier to feel and to find on breast examination – by yourself or by your doctor. The implant pushes the breast forward so small changes can be detected. This is a huge plus.
On the other hand, having implants makes mammograms more difficult to interpret. This is the minus, but the studies show that the plus and the minus balance each other out. Breast cancer is detected at the same rate, and at the same stage of development, in women with and without breast implants.
What is so important to understand is that a mammograms are not 100% reliable. You can have a normal mammogram and a breast cancer. So mammograms are useful for screening for cancer, but if you have a new breast lump – even if the mammogram is normal – that lump must be diagnosed. This usually requires a tissue biopsy.
If you have a new breast lump – and your doctor tells you not to worry, the mammogram is normal — you are not ok. You must see a breast surgeon for diagnosis of the lump.