9 Women Die From Rare Cancer Linked To Breast Implants
There's no need to panic — here's what you need to know.
In the ever growing and changing cosmetic surgery industry, there's still one sure bet and it's this: Women still want their boobs done.
Hell, nearly 279,000 breast augmentations were performed in 2015 alone — and a little under 300,000 in 2016 — and that's even with procedures such as butt implants and Botox gaining more traction.
I get it, because who doesn't love boobs? They double for pillows, pleasure, and so much more.
Sadly, breast implants have been recently linked to the deaths of nine women, the very implants that were linked to cancer back in 2011 according to the Food and Drug Administration.
However, the deaths weren't caused by breast cancer but what the FDA calls "a rare malignancy in the immune system, anaplastic large-cell lymphoma."
Still, this cancer can be discovered through symptoms such as lumps, fluid buildup, pain, and swelling.
In the cases that have been connected to boob jobs, the cancer grows in the breast, specifically in the "capsule of scar tissue" that surround an implant. The cancer isn't often fatal and is typically treatable. As of Feb. 1, the FDA has received over 300 reports of cases linked to breast implants.
The FDA said there's no need to panic and that women with breast implants should be cautious and contact their doctor if they notice pain or swelling in their breasts.
For those who do develop lymphoma as a result of implants, treatment can be as simple as removing the implant and the surrounding tissue, but it sometimes requires more in-depth treatment such as chemotherapy.
For those of you still considering implants, know that it's not about what the material is made but rather the texture of the implants. After thorough research, it was found that implants with surface texture were the ones most susceptible to cancer.
It's not known why that makes the risk is higher, but Dr. Alex K. Wong, a plastic surgeon and researcher at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, say that the body's reaction to smooth implants is different to that of the rougher implants.
And while they're still trying figure this all out, it's safe to say you should proceed with caution before getting your boobs done — and keep an eye on your implants, ladies.