Dow Researchers: No Link Between Silicone Implants and Breast Cancer

There may be no link between silicone breast implants and breast cancer or any other type of cancer, and implants may actually have a protective effect against breast cancer, according to researchers at Dow Corning Corporation.

Researchers studied a qualitative review of the literature on cancer, delayed detection of breast cancer, and increased breast cancer recurrence or decreased length of survival along with a meta-analysis of the risk for breast cancer or other cancers and consistently found no persuasive evidence of a causal association between breast implants and any type of cancer, according to their report in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Researchers report that their findings also suggest that breast implants may confer a protective effect against breast cancer.

"Evidence clearly shows that silicone breast implants do not cause breast cancer. In fact, some studies suggest that women with breast implants have fewer new or recurring cancers," said Dr. Susan J. Hoshaw, co-author of the study.

"Women with implants should be reassured by the consistency of scientific studies that have uniformly determined that they are not at increased risk for cancer, are not diagnosed with later-stage breast cancers, are not at increased risk for breast cancer recurrence, and do not have a decreased length of survival compared with women without implants," said the study.

Other Sources: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Reuters