When Connie Fleming began to have an itchy lower right breast, it never occurred to her she could be developing problems with textured breast implants.

According to the New York Daily News, Connie tried using home remedies, such as tea tree oil, but the itching worsened in 2015, and moved to the top of her breast two years later.

Connie said one night she woke up scratching and felt a lump, which is when she decided to go to the doctor.

A transgender woman, Connie had never had a mammogram. She told the Daily News that when she received her implants in 2000, she was told mammograms were basically useless because the implants impeded the view of tissue.

After finding the lump, she had her first mammogram, which indicated she had an advanced case of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).

In spring 2018, Connie underwent surgery to remove the implants and the scar tissue capsule where the cancer started. She also endured chemotherapy and radiation because the cancer had spread to a lymph node.

BIA-ALCL is not breast cancer, but a cancer of the immune system. Most of the time, it is caught early and removing the implants and scar capsule are all that’s needed.

Connie said she waited too long to get checked, but believes her feelings of self-blame and exclusion kept her from seeing a doctor any sooner. She told the Daily News that she wants other trans people to know they also could be at risk of BIA-ALCL and not to hesitate to seek medical advice if symptoms arise.

FDA Warns of Problems with Textured Breast Implants

In July, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asked Allergan to pull its BioCell textured breast implants off the market due to an increased risk of BIA-ALCL. So far, 33 deaths have been attributed to the rare cancer.

Of 573 reported cases of BIA-ALCL, 481 involved Allergan textured implants, leading experts to believe problems with textured breast implants seem to be greater than with smooth ones.

The FDA said the risk of developing BIA-ALCL appeared to be six times greater in patients who had Allergan textured breast implants compared to patients who with textured implants made by other manufacturers.

According to the American Cancer Society, the recalled implants include Natrelle Saline-Filled breast implants, Natrelle Silicone-Filled breast implants, Natrelle Inspira Silicone-Filled breast implants and Natrelle 410 Highly Cohesive Anatomically Shaped Silicone-Filled breast implants.

The problems with textured breast implants could extend to tissue expanders as well. Tissue expanders are balloon-type sacs that are slowly expanded with a salt water solution. The devices slowly stretch the skin so that the permanent implant can be properly inserted later. The Natrelle 133 Plus Tissue Expander and Natrelle 133 Tissue Expander with Suture Tabs are included in the Allergan recall.

The FDA does not advise removing the breast implants unless you are suffering symptoms that include a lump, pain, swelling or asymmetry of the breasts (they no longer appear the same in shape).

Learn More

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