FDA issues alert on cancers near implant scar tissue

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a safety alert regarding squamous cell carcinoma and various lymphomas that can appear in scar tissue near breast implants.

The FDA said that while the risk of these medical anomalies is rare, the administration has received reports on cases where patients were diagnosed years after having breast implants and presented with findings such as swelling, pain, lumps, or skin changes. However, the FDA added that these emerging reports are different from breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

The FDA encourages people to review its website for more information, adding that the agency does "not have enough information" to conclude whether breast implants cause these cancers or if some implants present more risk than others. The agency is also asking clinics to report these cases through its MedWatch program.