BREAST-CANCER RISK AMONG WOMEN USING SILICONE GEL BREAST IMPLANTS

Since their introduction in 1962, silicone gel-filled breast implants have been used by an estimated one to two million women. Questions con cerning an increased cancer risk to these women have been raised. A re view of the medical literature, including case reports, case series, p hysician surveys, case-control studies, and cohort studies, failed to turn up any evidence which associated the use of silicone breast impla nts with either an increased risk of breast cancer or an increased ris k of a more advanced stage of cancer at the time of cancer diagnosis. The available data do not indicate any significant difference between the characteristics of the breast cancers of women with breast implant s and those of women in control populations.