Study Finds Breast Implants Do Not Cause Breast Cancer Recurrence in Mastectomy Patients;

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What would you expect plastic surgeons to say? Rogene

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> Study Finds Breast Implants Do Not Cause Breast

> Cancer Recurrence in Mastectomy Patients; Early

> Detection and Treatment Not Hindered, Says Study

> Presented at American Society of Plastic Surgeons

> Annual Meeting

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> 9/27/2005 7:02:00 AM

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http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=54065

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> National Desk, Health and Medical reporters

>

> Contact: La or Hugins,

> 847-228-9900 or media@... -- both of

> the American Society of Plastic Surgeons

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> CHICAGO, Sept. 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Women

> interested in immediate breast reconstruction after

> mastectomy should not worry that their implants

> could cause, hinder detection of, or affect

> treatment of cancer recurrence, according to a study

> presented today at the American Society of Plastic

> Surgeons (ASPS) Plastic Surgery 2005 conference in

> Chicago.

>

> " For women contemplating immediate breast

> reconstruction, there is a lot of information being

> presented to them. As plastic surgeons, we want to

> help our patients feel better about their bodies

> without risking their safety and long-term health, "

> said Pusic, MD, ASPS Member Surgeon and

> co-author of the study. " It is important for us to

> provide them with hard facts that show an implant

> does not increase the chance that their cancer could

> recur, delay the diagnosis of a recurrence or affect

> the outcome. "

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> In the study, 309 women who had immediate breast

> reconstruction with an implant were compared, on the

> basis of age and stage of disease, to a group of 309

> women who had mastectomy without reconstruction. The

> incidence of local breast cancer recurrence in

> reconstructed patients (6.8 percent) was not

> significantly different from non-reconstructed

> patients (8.1 percent). In addition, the implants

> did not hinder early detection of recurrence.

> Ninety-five percent of recurrences were initially

> detected by physical examination of the breast

> during regular check-ups with their plastic surgeon

> or oncologist. Five percent of recurrences were

> detected through a computer-assisted tomography (CT)

> or bone scan.

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> The treatment for recurrence was not affected by the

> implants and did not generally require removal of

> the implants. In the study, only three of the 21

> patients who experienced a recurrence had their

> implants removed after treatment, and two of those

> patients specifically requested their implants be

> removed for personal reasons.

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> " We are pleased to report that treating breast

> cancer recurrence rarely requires the removal of

> patients' implants, " said Dr. Pusic. " This is

> reassuring information for women who choose to have

> implant-based breast reconstruction. "

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> In 2004, almost 63,000 women had breast

> reconstruction after mastectomy, according to ASPS

> statistics. The American Cancer Society estimates

> 211,240 new cases of invasive breast cancer will

> occur in 2005 among women in the United States and

> more than 40,000 women will die from the disease.

>

> The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the

> largest organization of board-certified plastic

> surgeons in the world. With more than 5,800 Member

> Surgeons, the society is recognized as a leading

> authority and information source on cosmetic and

> reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises 94

> percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in

> the United States. Founded in 1931, the society

> represents physicians certified by The American

> Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of

> Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

>

> ---

>

> Note: This study is being presented Tuesday, Sept.

> 27, 11 a.m., McCormick Place Lakeside Center,

> Chicago. Reporters can register to attend Plastic

> Surgery 2005 and arrange interviews with presenters

> by logging on to

>

http://www.plasticsurgery.org/news_room/Annual-Meeting-Media-Information.cfm

> or by contacting ASPS Public Relations at

> 847-228-9900 or in Chicago, Sept. 25-28 at

> 312-949-3250.

>

> http://www.usnewswire.com/

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