FDA Warns of Link Between Breast Implants and Cancer

 Posted on December 00,0000 in Medical Malpractice

A new statement from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning women of a link between breast implants and a certain type of cancer. According to national statistics, approximately 300,000 women receive breast implants each year, making the surgery one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures in the country.

According to the warning issued by the FDA, as of February 1, 2017, they had received 359 reports of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), which is cancer of the immune system, that were linked to breast implants. In nine of the reports, the women had died. The majority of the reported cancers—203—were women who had been implanted with textured implants. The other 28 women had received smooth implants.

The FDA also reported that 312 of the reports specified what type of fill was used in the implants of the women who developed ALCL. Silicone gel was used in 186 of the reports and saline was used in 126 of the reports.

In its report, the FDA wrote that it is not clear why there appears to be a higher cancer risk with textured implants compared to smooth implants. One theory may be that the textured implants are more susceptible to developing bacteria than the smooth implants. This bacteria could spike the risk of implant failure, infection, or cancer.

According to national statistics, the majority of medical malpractice lawsuits in this country are for delayed breast cancer diagnosis, as well as poor treatment management. One study analyzed 562 breast cancer malpractice claims that were filed during a five-year period. Sixty-one percent of those claims were filed because of alleged breast cancer diagnosis. Thirty-nine percent of the claims were for alleged negligent treatment of the patients.

Almost half of the lawsuits which were filed due to delayed diagnosis cited radiology as the cause. However, typically these cases did not name negligence on the radiologist part, but instead pointed to negligence on the primary care physician or another clinician who was alleged to have misinterpreted or misread the report by the radiologist.

In 70 percent of the delayed diagnosis claims, there were severe outcomes, including the deaths of 43 of the women.

If you have developed an injury or illness due to a delayed or missed diagnosis, contact a skilled Orland Park medical malpractice attorney to find out what legal recourse you may have against the party or parties responsible for your condition. Call Issa Law, LLC, at 708-966-2408 today for your free consultation.

Sources:

https://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/ImplantsandProsthetics/BreastImplants/ucm239995.htm

http://www.thedoctors.com/KnowledgeCenter/PatientSafety/articles/Navigating-Risks-in-Breast-Cancer-Diagnosis-and-Treatment-How-Physicians-Can-Enhance-Patient-Safety?hsCtaTracking=29cf304a-7ada-4934-9ed4-ae981c2d51c2%7Ced790ca1-1409-4393-a8aa-3f8328758d1c&utm_campaign=Oct+2015+Breast+Cancer+Awareness+Risk+Tip&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9Hc3C9ZGp6cxCi0kQnSPgHC78lCrqqUgM3MPL2oYsQhPgZVpYMPkCiMvAqOvv2MwSWlJu2ckUmcoKPlp9CCzKP5K8GAFDz1iPcbyr2AZ3hstxME3M&_hsmi=22675746&utm_source=hs_email&utm_content=22675746