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Breast Implants And Cancer Detection



 Submitted by Medical Health Test Team on June 28, 2010
Breast Implants and Cancer Detection

Ever since breast augmentation surgery gained popularity, there have been a lot of concerns about possible health risk and also about the implications of breast implants and cancer detection. There are a lot of doubts among most women about increased risks of breast cancer from silicone implants as well as the risks of an implant impeding detection of cancer as it could obscure breast tissue during cancer screening with a mammogram.  

Accusations and allegations of an increased risk of cancer from silicone implants were brought to the surface in the 1980s and there were also concerns about its links to various other autoimmune and systemic diseases. Because of the outcries and public concern over the issue the FDA or Food and Drug Administration stepped in to enforce a 30 month period of testing, which began from 1993. Once the testing period came to an end researchers found the evidence to be inconclusive and the data to be insufficient, with no conclusive links to cancer. The use of silicone implants was prohibited for cosmetic use however, but it was approved for reconstruction surgery following a mastectomy and breast cancer. Silicone implants only got a clean chit for cosmetic use since 2006 following an FDA assertion that thorough testing had been conducted. But it also stressed the need for further controlled clinical studies. There has still been no link established between silicone breast implants and the development or detection of cancer.

Contrary to popular belief, a Swedish study suggests that the risk of cancer was in fact diminished by around 30% following breast augmentation surgery. Similar findings and study results have been brought forward in the United States as well. As strange as this may seem it is not really farfetched if you understand the possible explanation. A combination of factors such as decreased temperature in the breasts and stimulation of immunological response are believed to be behind the phenomenon as is compression of the breast tissue. The other factor is socio-economic and cannot be ignored. Most of the subjects come from higher socio economic backgrounds that generally correspond with better nutrition and overall health.

If you have gotten breast implants and cancer detection is a cause of concern to you then it should also be noted that in most cases detection is around the same time whether or not patients have implants. The extent to which the implants may obscure breast tissue depends upon the method of augmentation and it is imperative that you provide your doctor with any such information before getting any screening tests done.

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