Risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the breast after postmastectomy implant reconstruction in women with breast cancer or carcinoma in situ

Last year, the FDA issued a safety communication about reports of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and various lymhomas of the breast associated with implants. Analysis of the SEER database found that among women receiving implants after mastectomy for breast cancer or carcinoma in situ, during 421,227 person-years of follow-up, one case of breast SCC was diagnosed (incidence rate 2,37 per million-person years; SIR 2,33; 95% CI 0.06-13.0). There were five cases of breast ALCL (SIR 40,9; 95% CI 13.3-95.5). The authors conclude that after implant-based reconstruction, the risk of SCC of the breast was extremely low.