The FDA first identified a possible link between breast implants and anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) in their report from January 2011.
At the time, the FDA declared that they did not have sufficient data to come to any conclusions regarding the association between breast implants and this type of lymphoma.
However, after several years of gathering more information on the reported cases of this association, the FDA released an update on March 23, 2017 stating the following:
Since 2011, we have strengthened our understanding of this condition and concur with the World Health Organization designation of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) as a rare T-cell lymphoma that can develop following breast implants.
There was an FDA CDRH General and Plastic Surgery Devices Advisory Committee Meeting held on March 25-26, 2019. The first day was focused in large part on Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).
For more information on this FDA March 2019 meeting about breast implants lymphoma cancer, see our recent blog post.
We will continue to monitor the medical literature concerning breast implants and this rare type of lymphoma, and report on new information as it is released.
More Information:
- Breast Implants: Lymphoma / Blood Cancer Cases Overview
- Breast Implants and Lymphoma: Summary of Information
- Breast Implants and Lymphoma: The Disease
- Breast Implants and Lymphoma: Resources
- Breast Implants and Lymphoma: Frequently Asked Questions