Textured breast implants for reconstruction may increase breast cancer recurrence: JAMA

Seoul, South Korea: The use of texture implants versus smooth implants after mastectomy for breast reconstruction appears to be associated with breast cancer recurrence, a recent study in the journal JAMA Surgery has found.

Several concerns have been raised about the additional unexpected adverse effects of textured implants from the time studies have found a potential association between breast implant-related anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) and implant texture. In addition to the risk of BIA-ALCL development, breast cancer survivors also worry about whether the type of inserted implant increases the risk of cancer recurrence. A little evidence currently exists on the same.

Kyeong-Tae Lee, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea, and colleagues evaluated how the surface type of implants used for reconstruction affects the oncologic outcomes of breast cancer. Also, they identified the independent factors associated with the recurrence and survival of breast cancer including implant surface type.

The study was conducted at Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea. It included 650 patients (all women, with a mean [SD] age of 43.5 [7.4] years), representing 687 cases, recruited from a prospectively maintained database. Of the 687 cases, 274 (39.9%) received a smooth implant and 413 (60.1%) received a textured implant. They were followed up for at least 2 years after the insertion of the implant. Data analysis was performed from February 15, 2020, to March 5, 2020.