Cancer survivors who have received breast implants after having mastectomies are coming forward with stories of their breast implants causing them to develop cancer and other adverse health side effects including breast implant illness.

Cancer Survivors Claim Breast Implants Cause Cancer, Illness

Multiple women who have survived cancer and undergone mastectomies claim that the breast implants they received caused them to develop a different type of cancer known as Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), as well as breast implant illness.

According to one woman, Delo F., who spoke to KGW in Portland, she was diagnosed with breast cancer about three years ago, at age 50. As part of her treatment, Delo underwent a double mastectomy. She opted to get breast implants afterward.

However, earlier this year, Delo began to experience symptoms including brain fog, difficulty swallowing, and pain in her neck and legs. Although her doctors were unable to diagnose her symptoms, she researched them herself and found that thousands of other women have reported suffering from similar symptoms following their breast implant surgeries.

While it is not yet known what exactly causes these symptoms, the U.S. FDA has stated that in some cases, removing breast implants may reverse breast implant illness symptoms.

About Breast Implant Illness

Thousands of complaints have been made to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding chronic pain and autoimmune issues related to breast implants. Symptoms of breast implant illness may include fatigue, brain fog, memory loss, rash, nerve-related pain, muscle aches, and joint pain.

While more research into the causes of breast implant illness is necessary, the ailment appears to be connected to the body’s immune response. Breast implant illness may be caused by an inflammatory reaction to the implants, which the body views as a foreign object. It may also be caused by specific ingredients or components in the implants.

Who May Be At Risk?

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 300,000 breast implant surgeries were performed in 2018 alone. Thousands of women who have undergone these surgeries may be at risk of developing breast implant illness or breast implant-related cancer (BIA-ALCL). According to studies on the dangers of breast implants, women who have received textured breast implants may be exposed to higher cancer risk than women who have been implanted with smooth implants.

While many types of textured implants that have been associated with adverse side effects have been recalled from the market, thousands of women may still be implanted with these potentially dangerous medical devices. Many claim that Allergan, a textured implant manufacturer, knew of the risks related to their product.

In 2018, around 28,000 women in the United States had their implants removed. While it is unknown how many of these women removed their implants due to breast implant-related cancer or other side effects, the number of women choosing to remove their implants is almost 40 percent higher than it was 10 years ago.

If you have undergone surgery to receive breast implants and have suffered from complications including cancer or breast implant illness, you may be eligible to hire a qualified attorney and file a class action lawsuit against the manufacturer of your implants. Victims who file lawsuits against medical device manufacturers may be able to recover compensation for injuries, pain and suffering, medical expenses, and other damages.

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