Breast implants and cancer: Causation, delayed detection, and survival

Concern for many women with breast implants has been focused on three topic s: cancer (both breast and other cancers), delayed detection of breast canc er, and increased breast cancer recurrence or decreased length of survival. In this study, a qualitative review of the literature on these subjects wa s conducted, coupled with a metaanalysis of the risk for breast cancer or o ther cancers (excluding that of the breast). Researchers have consistently found no persuasive evidence of a causal association between breast implant s and any type of cancer. The metaanalysis results obtained by combining th e epidemiology studies support the overall conclusion that breast implants do not pose any additional risk for breast cancer (relative risk, 0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.61 to 0.85) or for other cancers (relative risk, 1. 03; 95% confidence interval, 0.87 to 1.24). This analysis suggests that bre ast implants may confer a protective effect against breast cancer. Women wi th implants should be reassured by the consistency of scientific studies wh ich have uniformly determined that, compared with women without implants, t hey are not at increased risk for cancer, are not diagnosed with later-stag e breast malignancies, are not at increased risk for breast cancer recurren ce, and do not have a decreased length of survival.