Does the study address the health effects of breast cancer patients who receive implants for breast reconstructive surgery?
No, not directly. The participants in the study were limited to women who received breast implants for cosmetic reasons and did not include breast cancer patients. About 80 percent of breast implants in the United States are for cosmetic surgery and 20 percent for breast reconstruction. The majority of previous studies have focused on women who received implants for cosmetic reasons. • What have other studies shown about the risk of breast cancer in women undergoing breast reconstruction after breast cancer surgery? Less is known about the risk of breast cancer following reconstructive surgery compared to cosmetic surgery. One small study reported no increase in the development of second primary breast cancer in women with silicone implants following mastectomy compared to women who received mastectomies without implants. The small size of the study, however, limits the conclusions. Any study of the risks of breast cancer or other cancers with women who receive reconstructive implants
