What is Breast Implant Lymphoma and When Do I Need Treatment? Investigations in Leeds

Ever heard of lymphoma? Well it is a cancer that begins in the infection fighting cells that are derived from the immune system.  These cells are in the lymph nodes, bone marrow, and blood stream and in the tissues of other parts of body. This cancer comprises many types, and they all share the common behavior that they grow over time. Some types of lymphoma can be treated with a very high chance of cure starting from making a timely diagnosis to the usage of the correct techniques and treatments including surgery. There are various body changes that occur in this ailment, dependent on what type of lymphoma we are dealing with. Also there is are a complex and diverse range of diagnostic tests that relate to different lymphomas, the symptoms under investigation and what is found at examination.  

In this section we are talking more specifically about an uncommon lymphoma that can occur in the scar tissue next to a breast implant.  The occurrence is unusual and the current lifetime risk to a patient with a textured breast implant estimated by the MHRA regulator (based on confirmed cases where surgery occurred in the UK), at 1 per 16,500 implants sold.

Patients usually present with a swelling in the breast making the whole breast look bigger. Much more rarely it can present with a mass that forms from the capsule on the implant, in the lymph node tissue under the arm or with a strange rash on the skin of the breast. Research shows that having an ultrasound guided fluid aspiration sample of good quality and volume, reviewed by an expert pathologist improves the chances for an accurate diagnosis which will exist for a period of time. Your specialist should be familiar with the UK guidelines for diagnosis, investigation and treatment which have previously been published. They may recommend further tests such as ultrasound, PET Ct and MRI, blood tests, other breast imaging tests and sometimes even a biopsy of the bone marrow.

What are the benefits of the Breast Implant lymphoma treatment (BIA-ALCL)?

  • In general the goal of this treatment is to remove the whole implant with the entire encasing peri-implant scar tissue without breaching it. This is called a total en-bloc capsulectomy and explantation. This would typically remove the layer of tissue that is active lymphoma, as the majority are confined to the inside of the capsule.
  • Where the investigations or pathology testing show the BIA-ALCL to be deeper through the capsule into surrounding tissue or regional lymph nodes or other sites, further treatments are looked at. These are determined by a specialist multi-disciplinary team including a doctor called a haemato-oncologist. They may recommend radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. All of this is very specialist care and is carried out in major centers. Leeds is one of the major centers in the UK with this type of service.

In conclusion, Lymphoma Investigation and Treatment in Leeds is done by specialist doctors who follow national guidelines, and have the necessary expertise to know how to investigate and treat patients who have a concern.

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