Breast Implants & Breast Cancer: No Easy Answers
We
have grave concern. Over 185,000 American women ~ our sisters ~ will be
diagnosed
with breast cancer this year. There are many difficult decisions
that must
be made in a fairly short time with no easy answers ~ no
guarantees. Whether
or not to have breast implants is one of the most
vexing.
Our
glorious bodies are truly unique ~ each of us responds differently to
various
substances at various times. One bright woman who thought she had
thoroughly
researched the literature learned the hard way. She ended up
having an emergency
implant removal six months later ~ this to a body
still healing from the cancer,
invasive surgery, and now toxic silicone
reaction.
Understandably,
no woman wants to lose her breasts. And the promise of
"even better breasts
than before" is so enticing.
Regrettably,
there are no safe implants. The FDA allows saline implants to
stay on the market
(after banning silicone gel in 1992) ~ but has not been
convinced of their
safety. 33,000 ill
women have already complained to theFDA about saline implants and it is recommended
that they be replaced before their short life span of 4~7 years collapses them
without warning. This assures multiple surgeries ~ to bodies whose immune systems
havealready been assaulted by cancer and extensive surgery.
{As of FDA Medwatch, February, 2000 Update - Over 65,000 reported adverse affects with saline implants.}
Cancer
and implant survivor, retired Professor of Health Education,
Henrietta Farber,
recently summarized the feelings of many who know,
"The
cancer was challenging.
The implants almost killed me."
The
surgery to remove her disintegrated and ruptured implants was hard
enough,
but then 2 years later she had to endure an even more invasive
surgery to take
out the extensive scar capsule that the surgeon had left
to fester.
Sometimes
mammography can break the implants. And all implants mask tumors
normally discovered
by doctor- or self-examination. Former nurse, Mary
Jane Bradley found this
out the hard way. Hidden behind her 10 year old
implants were 5 tumors ~ very
well developed.
Most
every woman loves her implantswhile she¹s still healthy. I¹ve
asked
hundreds of women, though whose once vital health has failed them,
whether
it was "worth it."
To
a woman, each one responded that she'd give anything to have her health
back
~ and had she known then what she knows now, she would never have
chosen to
have an unapproved medical device put into her body.
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1997©Ilena Rosenthal
Ilena
Rosenthal heads the 33-year-old Humantics Foundation for Women. She
is an advocate
for women with breasts implants and those considering
getting them.
