According to a latest release by French authorities, certain kinds of implants used for breast enhancement treatments can cause cancer. This might happen if the silicone ruptures. The French authorities are debating on whether all women with these implants should be asked to get them off in order to prevent the incidence of the disease. If the decision comes through, nearly 30,000 women in France, who have undergone the treatment might have to undergo surgery again to remove the implant. However, the women do have the option of changing the implant and using another material that is safer.
However, authorities in the United Kingdom have not been completely reassured by the decision because there is no certain proof about the dangers that the implant might cause. This statement was released by The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in the United Kingdom. The medical director of the Agency, Dr. Susanne Ludgate said that the researchers in the United Kingdom have looked at the implant material from various aspects but have not found anything concrete that might make women remove the implants. The director said that not only were the health implication for the woman with implant studied, but implications for the safety of the baby who the woman is feeding have also been studied.
She further continued that there is no reason for women who have undergone the implant to panic. Research needs to be continuously performed in order to find links to cancer and no risks have been unveiled so far, although the take of the French authorities on the matter is likely to be different. The French are supposed to release the final say on the matter on 23rd December, which is this Friday.
The implant in question is poly implant prosthese (PIP) breast implants and the cancer that they are likely to cause is anaplastic large cell lymphoma. In this form of cancer, the immune system of the body is affected and so, a lot of other diseases are also likely to be caused. Ironically, the French manufacturer of these products has shut shop. There are around 300,000 of these implants that have been utilized in various enhancement procedures. In 2010, the production of PIP was stopped. Eight cases of breast cancer have been reported so far. This number does not collaborate with what the British agency says. There are speculations that the risks associated with mass recall could be the reason behind the British denial.