Breast augmentation with implants does not interfere with the ability to detect later breast cancers—in fact, cancers may be detected at a smaller size in breasts with implants, according to a study in the April issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
But mammography may be less likely to detect cancers in breasts with implants, according to the research by Michael Sosin, MD, of MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, and colleagues. The study also shows some differences in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment in women who have had breast augmentation, including a higher rate of mastectomy.