breast cancer?

[wylie]

hi dr. walden

i have been contemplating breast implants for awhile, every woman in my family seems to have large breasts but that gene seemed to have skipped me but my question is what are the complications between having breast implants and breast cancer.. the reason i ask is because my mother passed away from breast cancer 6 years ago.. so i feel almost silly even thinking about getting implants.. i also dont have any children now, but plan to in 4-5 years or so.. is it better to wait after children for breast augmentation or it really doesn't matter? any information would be great.
thank you

[luvmyboobies!]

Hi- I don't mean to butt in at all, but I thought I'd share with you that my mom too died of breast cancer. I have already had my kiddos, done the breast feeding thing, and have recently had a breast augmentation. My PS told me to just stay on top of my breast exams (and I get YEARLY mammos- my mom died when she was 25!) and have since I was 17 years old. Also- if you choose to get silicone's they recommend getting a breast MRI 3 years out from your breast augmentation and every 2 years or so after that.

[wylie]

no thank you.. no one i know that has breast implants has some one so close die of breast cancer so i've been kind of tossing and turning about it.. i am so sorry to hear of your mother passing and my god at 25! my mother passed away at 48 (i was 13 at the time) and thats still concerned young.. but thank you for your little but in!

[luvmyboobies!]

Originally Posted by wylie

no thank you.. no one i know that has breast implants has some one so close die of breast cancer so i've been kind of tossing and turning about it.. i am so sorry to hear of your mother passing and my god at 25! my mother passed away at 48 (i was 13 at the time) and thats still concerned young.. but thank you for your little but in!

One more thing, has your doctor ever talked to you about getting the BRCA1 and BRCA2 tests? It is called bracket gene testing- and from my understanding of it, it basically tells you your odds of getting breast cancer- and if you're a carrier for that gene. My doc thinks my insurance will cover it since it was my mother who died from it, not an aunt or grandma etc. Something to consider as well. I'll be getting my bracket gene testing done in a few weeks, and my yearly mammo to boot. Good luck, whatever decision you come up with.

[Dr. Walden]

Hi there,
It is not contraindicated to get breast implants if you have a family history of breast cancer, it just means you will need to be very attentive in your follow up and getting your breast imaging as per the guidelines of your doctor. If you do get implants you will need to get a baseline Mammogram or MRI, and then carefully follow the screening recommendations for breast cancer as the American Cancer Society recommends. If you have implants, the breast tissue is more likely to be visualized if the implants are under the muscle, and the implant is a reasonable size for your anatomy. The larger the implant, the harder it may be for the mammographer to see the stretched out breast tissue over the implant. You will also need to tell your mammographer and Ob/Gyn about the breast implants and they will order several extra views on mammography called Eklund views. MRI's are being used more frequently as well these days in women with a family history. There is no known delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer or increased liklihood of breast cancer in women who have breast implants, according to the scientific literature on the subject. If at all concerned with the information you have now regarding your personal case, consult your OB/Gyn and/ or consult with a breast surgeon whose specialty is dealing with breast cancer.

Good luck.

The above message is not intended to substitute or imply medical advice. Medical advice cannot be given in a forum such as this without an appropriate history and physical and doctor/patient relationship. If you cannot accept this policy, please ignore my messages. Dr. Walden participates in this forum as she specializes in breast augmentation and cosmetic surgery in New York, New York.