Breast implants and cancer risk in Denmark

Although millions of women worldwide have received breast implants for cosmetic or medical reasons, possible late effects (in particular cancer) have not been well studied. To provide quantitative information on cancer occurrence among women undergoing breast implant surgery, 1,135 women treated for cosmetic reasons in Denmark were evaluated. Patients were identified using the nationwide Hospital Discharge Registry with linkage to the nationwide Danish Cancer Registry to determine subsequent cancer incidence. The average age of the women at implant surgery was 31 years, and the average follow-up was 8.4 years, up to a maximum of 17 years. Overall, 27 cancers developed after implant surgery compared with 24.7 expected based on incidence rates from the general population (standardized incidence ratio [SIR] = 1.1; 95% CI: 0.7-1.6). Eight breast cancers were observed vs. 7.8 expected (SIR = 1.0; 95% CI: 0.4-2.0). No evidence was found to link breast implants with increased cancer risk in the decade after surgery. While the results are encouraging, longer follow-up into later life will be necessary to assess fully any possible adverse effects.