ABC7’s More in the Morning team spoke with Dr. Michael K. Kim, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, on Monday morning about a specific kind of breast implant-related cancer, BIA-ALCL.
Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is not breast cancer—it is a unique type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (cancer of the immune system). Statistically, if you have breast implants, your chances of being diagnosed with this type of cancer are about 1/3000 to 1/80,000.
Risk Factors
Being at risk for BIA-ALCL does not mean you will get BIA ALCL. You are at risk of developing BIA-ALCL if you have (or had) breast implants or breast implant expanders. Your risk of developing BIA-ALCL is significantly higher if you have (or had) textured implants or textured implant expanders.
To date, there is no confirmed case of BIA-ALCL occurring in someone who never had textured implants or textured implant expanders at some point in their medical history.
For more information about BIAA-ALCL, please visit the official website.
Learn More About Dr. Michael K. Kim