Over the past few years, more research has been done into the health impacts of breast implants. In fact, researchers and doctors have even coined the term “breast implant illness,” or BII, to refer to the characteristic collection of anxiety, brain fog, memory loss, joint pain, and dry eyes and mouth. But did you know that breast implants have also been associated with anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL)? 

According to reporting from Medpage Today, Dr. Kelly K. Hunt, MD shared new clinical insights and experience relating to breast implant-associated ALCL at the Miami Breast Cancer Conference, which took place from March 2-5, 2023. We have worked to summarize the information shared below:

• The first case of breast implant-associated ALCL was reported in 1997.
• Although breast implant-associated ALCL is rare, reports and cases have been increasing around the world. At the end of 2022, there were 1,333 worldwide cases of breast implant-associated ALCL, as well as 35 deaths. 
• ALCL occurs in people with textured breast implants. Cases have largely not been found in those with smooth implants. Textured breast implants have also been linked to other forms of cancer such as B-cell lymphoma and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). 
• Breast implant-associated ALCL is localized, rather than systemic. This is typically less aggressive.
• Symptoms associated with this cancer include breast inflammation, pain and tenderness, a lump or mass that can be felt under the skin, capsular contracture, and periprosthetic effusion. 
• The most effective treatment option is usually a capsulectomy, which removes both the breast implant and the “capsule,” the fibrous scar tissue that forms around the implant. For guidelines on how to diagnose and treat breast implant-associated ALCL, take a look at the Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 

The Basic Facts of Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphoma (ALCL)

As described above, ALCL can be systemic or localized. The former version of this rare non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma—a cancer that forms in the lymphatic system—is more aggressive and correlated with poor outcomes. Localized ALCL, such as breast implant-associated ALCL, often progresses at a much slower pace. While symptoms of localized ALCL may include reddened or opened skin lesions, patients with systemic ALCL may experience:

• Swollen lymph nodes
• Appetite loss
• Unintentional weight loss
• Fever and drenching night sweats

For systemic ALCL, chemotherapy is the main line of treatment. Stem cell transplantation or medications like Adcetris may also be used.