AUGMENTATION MAMMAPLASTY AND BREAST-CANCER - A 5-YEAR UPDATE OF THE LOS-ANGELES STUDY (REPRINTED FROM PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY, VOL 89, PG 660-665, 1992)

We have previously reported on the risk of breast cancer in women during the first few years following cosmetic augmentation mammaplasty and are now presenting results after longer exposure. Long term carcinogenicity of breast implants in humans has not been previously assessed. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 3112 patients with a median of 10.6 yr of post-implant experience (range 0.1-31.7). Patients were enrolled from surgeons' records and cancer outcomes were monitored by the population-based cancer registry serving Los Angeles County. Due to confidentiality concerns, there was no direct patient contact. Twenty-one breast cancers were observed among the implant patients as compared to 31.7 expected, based on Los Angeles County incidence rates (standardized incidence ratio (SIR) = 66%, 95% confidence limits (CL): 41% and 101%). For all other malignancies combined, 45 were observed and 50.0 were expected (SIR = 90%, CL: 66%, 120%). Although the numbers of cases were very small, increased frequencies of lung and vulvar cancers were observed. Based on the evidence to date, we conclude that there is no increase in breast cancer incidence following augmentation mammaplasty.