Hong Kong health chiefs urge breast implant patients to get regular check-up after Australia raises cancer fears
- Some implants have been linked to the risk of a rare cancer – breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma
- Doctors urge patients not to panic, but just to keep an eye out for swelling, lump or pain around their implants
Hong Kong women who have undergone breast implant operations have been asked to get regular check-ups after an Australian regulatory body suspended the use of some implant materials, citing increased risk of developing a rare form of cancer.
The Department of Health issued the alert on Monday after Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration, a regulatory body for medicinal products, suspended certain models of breast implants for six months and recalled them from the market.
The Hospital Authority said it had already convened an expert group meeting to assess the safety alerts.
“There is no need for the patients to be overly concerned, but those who have had breast implants or related surgeries in public hospitals are advised to attend follow-up appointments as scheduled by doctors and to perform self-examination regularly,” the authority’s spokesman said.
“If they notice any enlargement, swelling or a lump, or experience pain around the implant or the armpit, they should consult their doctors. The complications can mostly be cured if diagnosed early.
The implants are linked to the risk of a rare cancer – breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) – which is different from a cancer of the breast tissue. It affects the immune system and may develop many months or years after a breast implant surgery.”