| While not commonly asked, one of the first | | | | nonaugmented women and augmented women are |
| questions a potential breast augmentation should ask | | | | diagnosed at similar stages of disease and have |
| is...does the breast implant interfere with being able to | | | | similar prognoses. In women with breast implants, the |
| detect breast cancer? Since breast cancer in the | | | | use of conservation therapy (which almost always |
| United States affects one in 11 women during their | | | | involves radiation) in breast cancer treatment resulted |
| lifetime, this is a fairly important question. As breast | | | | in a high rate of implant contarctures and poor |
| augmentation procedures continue to be on the rise, | | | | cosmetic outcomes as a result. |
| this important question should be thoroughly | | | | In a companion study in the same Supplement, Dr. |
| addressed. | | | | Dennis Deapen of Los Angeles, California evaluated |
| In a recently published analysis of this topic by Dr. | | | | literature over the past 20 years which examined |
| Neal Handel of Santa Barbara, California in the | | | | breast cancer-related risks among breast implant |
| December 2007 Supplement issue of Plastic and | | | | patients. He found that women with breast implants |
| Reconstructive Surgery, he does exactly that. Using | | | | do not experience delayed detection of breast |
| over 4,000 patients over a 23 year period, he | | | | cancer. He summarized that breast implants are not |
| assessed how easily mammography detected breast | | | | associated with an increased risk of breast cancer |
| lesions. Women with breast implants presented more | | | | incidence or death and these patients do not |
| frequently with breast masses, invasive tumors, and | | | | experience delayed detection or poorer survival after |
| axillary node spread. However, there was no | | | | breast cancer treatments. |
| significant difference in stage of disease, tumor size, | | | | These two published studies should go far to alleviate |
| recurrence, or survival between the two groups. | | | | any concerns in potential and existing breast implant |
| Despite the diminished sensitivity of mammograms to | | | | patients about the detection and treatment of breast |
| detect breast cancer in women with implants, | | | | cancer. |