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BIA-ALCL Coverage
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Number of Australian women diagnosed with breast implant-related cancer rises
Aug 28, 2017 | AAP
The number of Australian women diagnosed with a rare but deadly form of blood cancer linked to breast implants has risen, leading to calls from health experts for greater awareness. -
Rare form of cancer on the rise, linked to popular breast implants
Aug 28, 2017 | 9 Honey News
By Karishma Sarkari and AAP
Australian women who have had breast implants are being urged to consult their surgeon about the risk of a rare form of lymphoma. -
Cheap breast implants linked to growing number of women being diagnosed with cancer
Aug 27, 2017 | Daily Mail Australia
By Finoa
A heavily discounted device used across Australia in breast implants has been linked to an increasing number of cancer cases. -
Breast implants linked to rare blood cancer
Aug 27, 2017 | Eyewitness Ten News
Five cancer clusters around Australia have been directly linked to textured devices, used widely in breast implants because they are heavily discounted and less likely to shift out of position. -
Surge in Australian breast cancer cases linked to cheap breast implants
Aug 28, 2017 | RT
A recent spate of breast cancer diagnoses among women in Australia has been directly linked to cheap breast implants.
Australian Traditional Media Coverage
Other Traditional Media Coverage
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Number of Australian women diagnosed with breast implant-related cancer rises
Aug 28, 2017 | AAP
The number of Australian women diagnosed with a rare but deadly form of blood cancer linked to breast implants has risen, leading to calls from health experts for greater awareness.
Last year the Therapeutic Goods Administration confirmed 46 cases of breast implant-associated (BIA) ALCL, including three deaths.
The number of cases has since risen to 53, according to a paper published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
Professor Sanchia Aranda, CEO of the Cancer Council Australia, says while the risk is low it's important that women who've had breast enhancement to clarify with their surgeon the type of implants used.
"Analysis shows that there is a link between a particular type of breast implants with an either textured or polyurethane surface and anaplastic large cell lymphoma," said Prof Aranda.
"Women who are concerned about their breast implants may wish to speak to their surgeon to verify what type of implant they have," she added.
According to the MJA paper, all the cases of BIA ALCL occurred three to 14 years after implantation in women with exposure to implants with surface rendering that was either textured or polyurethane.
There have been none so far recorded in women who had implants with smooth surfaces, the authors explained.
The risk of developing this type of cancer remains relatively low - between one in 1000 or one in 10,000 women.
However the risk associated with textured or polyurethane implants is around 10 times higher - one in 4000 to one in 7000 - compared with smoother implants.
Professor Aranda says women who notice any changes to their breasts should see their doctor straight away.
The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons and the Australian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons has joined the calls for greater vigilance.
"All women with implants who note changes in their breasts should seek advice," a joint statement on Monday said.
Symptoms of the disease include swelling, pain or enlargement,
"Breast implant associated-Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is a rare cancer that can be effectively treated if detected early," the statement said.The facts: BIA-ALCL is a cancer of lymphatic cells and a form of non-Hodgkin's LymphomaIt is not a breast cancerIt occurs in association with breast implants and to date exclusively with exposure to textured implantsIt takes an average of 7-10 years after implant surgery before it developsIf caught early it can be cured with surgery
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Rare form of cancer on the rise, linked to popular breast implants
Aug 28, 2017 | 9 Honey News
By Karishma Sarkari and AAP
Australian women who have had breast implants are being urged to consult their surgeon about the risk of a rare form of lymphoma.
The number of women who have been diagnosed with a rare but deadly form of blood cancer - which has been linked to popular breast implants - has risen.
It’s led to calls from health experts for greater awareness.
Last year the Therapeutic Goods Administration confirmed 46 cases of breast implant-associated (BIA) ALCL, including three deaths.
The number of cases has since risen to 53, according to a paper published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
Professor Sanchia Aranda, CEO of the Cancer Council Australia, says while the risk is low, it's important women who've had breast enhancements, speak to their surgeon to clarify the type of implants they’ve used.
"Analysis shows that there is a link between a particular type of breast implants with an either textured or polyurethane surface and anaplastic large cell lymphoma," said Prof Aranda.
"Women who are concerned about their breast implants may wish to speak to their surgeon to verify what type of implant they have," she added.
According to the MJA paper, all the cases of BIA ALCL occurred three to 14 years after implantation in women with exposure to implants with surface rendering that was either textured or polyurethane.
There have been none so far recorded in women who had implants with smooth surfaces, the authors explained.
The risk of developing this type of cancer (which is a form of non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, not breast cancer) remains relatively low - between one-in-1000 or one-in-10,000 women.
However the risk associated with textured or polyurethane implants is around 10 times higher - one-in- 4000 to one-in-7000 - compared with smoother implants.
It takes 7-10 years after surgery for the BIA ALCL to develop but if caught early, can be cured with surgery.
The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons and the Australian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons has joined the calls for greater vigilance.
"All women with implants who note changes in their breasts should seek advice," a joint statement on Monday said.
Symptoms of the disease include swelling, pain or enlargement,
"Breast implant associated-Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is a rare cancer that can be effectively treated if detected early," the statement said.
Women who notice any changes to their breasts are advised to see their GP straight away.
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Cheap breast implants linked to growing number of women being diagnosed with cancer
Aug 27, 2017 | Daily Mail Australia
By Finoa
A heavily discounted device used across Australia in breast implants has been linked to an increasing number of cancer cases.
Statistics reveal that nine out of 10 women who have been linked to the rare blood cancer had the textured devices inserted during their breast enhancement surgery, The Daily Telegraph reported.
Five cancer clusters were identified across the nation and linked to the cheap implants with help from the new Australian Breast Implant Registry which has been joined by 16 other countries.
Seven patients under one doctor in Southeast Queensland were identified with the disease.
President of the Australian Plastic Surgeons Association Professor Mark Ashton said the discounted products came with the highest risk.
More than 55 Australian women developed the cancer after having implants inserted and four of them died.
The problematic devices are known to be favoured as they don't shift around eliminating the need for revision surgery.
A spokesperson for the Therapeutic Goods Administration, who oversee the country's medicine, said the organisation is reviewing the breast implants available across Australia.
'This activity is in recognition that, although rare, lymphoma is a type of cancer that could have devastating consequences for women,' the spokeswoman said.
'The review would also provide better evidence to inform the choice women make in choosing whether to have a breast implant solely for cosmetic purposes or after surviving cancer and needing reconstructive surgery.'
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Breast implants linked to rare blood cancer
Aug 27, 2017 | Eyewitness Ten News
Five cancer clusters around Australia have been directly linked to textured devices, used widely in breast implants because they are heavily discounted and less likely to shift out of position.
More than 55 Australian women have developed anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) as a result of breast implants and four have died.
“We’re being careful not to be alarmist because we don’t know all the facts and we don’t want to raise anxiety,” Professor Rod Cooter, who helped to uncover the findings, told News Corp.
However, the threat is more real than ever - especially since the number of women having the surgery has risen by more than 100 per cent from 2005, from around 4000 to 40,000 breast enhancements a year.
That’s only factoring in the surgeries performed in Australia, and not overseas.
One doctor in south east Queensland reportedly has seven patients with the disease.
A spokeswoman from the Therapeutic Goods Organisation, who oversee the country’s medicine, said that the organisation is reviewing the breast implants available across Australia.
“This activity is in recognition that, although rare, lymphoma is a type of cancer that could have devastating consequences for women,” the spokeswoman said.
“The review would also provide better evidence to inform the choice women make in choosing whether to have a breast implant solely for cosmetic purposes or after surviving cancer and needing reconstructive surgery.”
The implants linked to the cancer are still on sale and being used by surgeons in Australia, and are said to have the higher share of the market because they’re cheap.
The cancer risk could potentially be wiped out, though, if surgeons follow a 14-point protocol that reduces the risk of bacteria getting into the body during breast surgery.
Women who have breast implants are advised not to get them removed if there’s nothing wrong with them, but they should carry out regular breast checks, and, if they find a lump or swelling, report it to their doctor or surgeon immediately.
Researchers identified the risk associated with several breast implant types:
Allergan’s Biocell implant was 14 times more likely to be associated with ALCL than another implant type with a smaller surface area
The risk of a woman with Biocell implants developing cancer is one in 3800
Women with a Silimed implant have a one in 7788 risk of developing the cancer
Mentor’s Silitex implants pose less of a threat, with women who have them having a one in 60,000 risk of developing the cancer
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Surge in Australian breast cancer cases linked to cheap breast implants
Aug 28, 2017 | RT
A recent spate of breast cancer diagnoses among women in Australia has been directly linked to cheap breast implants.
The country’s health regulators are examining a connection between the cheap textured devices and a growing number of cases of a rare blood cancer called anaplastic large cell carcinoma (ALCL).
The Herald Sun reports that 90 percent of women in Australia who have had a breast implant in the country have the type under investigation by regulators.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has reported 55 cases in which ACL has been diagnosed in women with breast implants. Among the 55, four women have died.
The number of diagnoses detected has been upwardly revised since last December.
“Australian specialist plastic surgeons have been at the forefront of research into this lymphoma,” Dr Mark Magnusson of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons said in a statement.
“(We) are working closely with the TGA [Therapeutic Goods Administration] to share information, including recent research identifying an increased risk of the disease.”
ALCL is a rare type of lymphoma that develops beside the breast implant and can take three to 14 years to develop.
The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons say the most common symptom of the disease is a persistent swelling of the breast but a lump in the breast or armpit are other signs.
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