Anaplastic large cell lymphoma associated with breast implants

• Published in: Zdravniški vestnik (Ljubljana, Slovenia : 1992) Vol. 85; no. 11-12
• Main Authors: Vid Bajuk, Uroš Golobič Ahčan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Slovenian Medical Association 01.02.2017
• Subjects: silicone, implant, breast, ALCL, lymphoma
• ISSN: 1318-0347; 1581-0224

An increasing number of women worldwide decide for esthetic correction of breasts with silicone implants and post-cancer breast reconstruction with tissue expanders and silicone breast implants. It is estimated that more than 10 million women around the globe have them. Tere are approximately 200 known cases of patients with anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) linked with silicone breast implants reported in medical literature. ALCL is a rare disease with an annual incidence of 0.1–0.3/100 000 women with breast silicone implants. In the presence of clinical signs, physician should also consider this rare form of ALCL in differential diagnosis. Patients are on average 50 years old. Long afer implantation surgery, the patient may experience breast swelling, pain and/or asymmetry. In diagnostics, ultrasound and cytological examination are required. During ultrasound examination fluid formation (seroma) or solid tumor mass can be detected. Treatment is individualized. Due to tumor nature, implant resection and total capsulectomy are usually indicated; also, chemo- and radiotherapy might rarely be required. Five-year survival rate depends on tumor form and correlates well with clinical fndings of seroma or solid mass. In the more frequent form, seroma, fve-year survival rate is 100 %, while in the case of solid tumor mass fve-year survival rate is 75 %. The rarity of this disease makes it difficult to diagnose, but nevertheless, early detection and treatment are important for better recovery.