Breast implants and possible association with ALCL: A retrospective study including a histological analysis of 296 explanted breast tissues and current literature.

Abstract

To identify a possible connection between anaplastic large cell lymphoma and different types of breast implants. We conducted a retrospective evaluation of 296 breast tissues of 227 women with different breast implant types undergoing surgical revision or explantation between January 2000 and June 2015. Histological and selected immunohistochemical analyses of CD30-&ALK-1-markers of the breast capsules were performed. The womens' average age was 42.91±12.66 years (median: 43.83 years) during implantation and 51.40±11.40 years (median: 52.37 years) during revision or explantation of the implants. Average implant residing time was 8.49±8.90 years (median: 5.83 years). In 51% implantation was for reconstructive, in 48% for aesthetic reasons, in 1% for other reasons. At 59% the main reason for explantation or removal was capsular fibrosis (n = 173). In 296 breast capsules we could not find pathological lymphoma cells according to ALCL, retrospectively. In our study we detected high incidences of various cells in relationship to the implant's type and residing time, which will be published in further articles. We could not find ALCL-cells in breast capsules of explanted or revised breast implants during 2000-2015, retrospectively.There should be a heightened awareness of a possible relationship between the development of cancer and breast implants. To date there are case reports about a possible association between the development of ALCL and breast implants. The number of cases are few and our knowledge of the pathogenesis is little. Further investigation is needed to understand the possible link between breast implants and ALCL found in the breast.