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Breast Implant Risk

The FDA is concerned that women who have gotten breast implants may be at increased risk of a very rare cancer called anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Earlier reports had raised suspicion about implants containing silicone gel, but the current reports also include cases associated with implants containing saline solution. The overall risk is extremely low: five to ten million women around the world have implants, and the FDA has only 60 reports of this unusual lymphoma. As a result, the FDA says, women with implants do not need to change their health care routine or worry about this risk unless they have pain and swelling around the implant.

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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