Women concerned about the connection between breast implant illness and lymphoma are increasingly asking doctors to remove their implants, according to news sources.

Alarming reports of breast implant illness and lymphoma predominantly associated with certain types of implants have sparked headlines around the globe. Australian studies have documented 107 cases of breast implant illness in that country alone. Researchers there found that 21 of the women were diagnosed with lymphoma after breast cancer reconstruction following mastectomy.

Some of the Australian women told ABC News that they were never informed of the nexus between breast implant illness and lymphoma before undergoing implant surgery.

This newly emerging cancer type is known as Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL.) Recent studies show that some women have been subjected to a double whammy, developing blood cancer caused by breast implants following a mastectomy. These women dealt with a breast cancer diagnosis and underwent mastectomies to address the disease.

Breast implant illness is a condition used to describe women who experience a broad range of symptoms after getting breast implants. These can include body odor, anxiety, chills, headaches, photosensitivity, brain fog, depression, chest pain, and fatigue, among others.

One Facebook group includes more than 50,000 members who say they have breast implant illness. E! News reports that former pop star Michelle Visage recently had her breast implants removed — a procedure known as explant surgery — and has taken the opportunity to advocate for awareness about breast implant illness.

It’s estimated that some 400,000 women undergo breast augmentation procedures each year. One of every four women who has the surgery does so as part of reconstruction after a mastectomy. Due to the large number of women getting breast implants, a marked increase in the number of women wanting to get them removed is garnering attention.

The National Center for Health Research shows that more than 4,500 women have reached out with concerns over medical symptoms they believe are connected to their breast implants. Some of these patients have reported issues with rupture and breast pain. Most were seeking financial assistance to pay for explant surgery because they could not afford the procedure.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has an extensive list of the complications connected to breast implants. Any changes in medical condition should be shared with a general physician or the surgeon who performed the operation.

There are two primary ways that breast implants are removed. The surgeon might decide to take out the implant but leave the scar tissue surrounding the implant since this procedure requires less dissection and has fewer complications. However, in other situations the surgeon might decide to take out the scar capsule and the implant.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.