ASPS Responds to France's National Cancer Institute Statement on ALCL & Silicone Breast Implants
Although no causal link between breast implants and ALCL has ever been proven and the incidence of ALCL remains slight, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons takes the recent statement made by France’s National Cancer Institute that there is a "clearly established link" between ALCL and silicone breast implants extremely seriously.

Although no causal link between breast implants and ALCL has ever been proven and the incidence of ALCL remains slight, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons takes the recent statement made by France's National Cancer Institute that there is a "clearly established link" between ALCL and silicone breast implants extremely seriously.

The ASPS respects France's National Cancer Institute's commitment to public awareness but agrees with France's health minister that the public should not fall victim to "unnecessary panic" given the rarity of cases.

Despite there being no scientific evidence of a causal relationship, since the inception of ALCL-related concerns, the ASPS has taken a proactive leadership position and has established a committee comprised of elite surgeons with comprehensive knowledge of ALCL to study the issue.

The ASPS is fully engaged with the FDA to ensure that science informs all decision making. In 2011, The Plastic Surgery Foundation (The PSF), the ASPS and the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health entered a partnership to conduct research and develop a comprehensive breast implant-ALCL registry called the Patient Registry and Outcomes for Breast Implants and Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma Etiology and Epidemiology (PROFILE).

The ASPS, in partnership with The PSF, the FDA and breast implant manufacturers, is also collaborating on the development of a National Breast Implant Registry (NBIR) to track all outcomes and complications related to breast implants (silicone and saline), creating an efficient national surveillance system. Scheduled to launch this year, the NBIR will benefit consumers and industry and assure that clinical conclusions regarding complications resulting from breast implants are only drawn from unequivocal scientific evidence.

The ASPS's highest priority is ensuring safety through the education of patients, support of vital research and partnership with its member surgeons. Patients who are considering breast implants or any plastic surgery should always communicate openly with their board-certified plastic surgeon to determine if the surgery is appropriate for them and understand any risks of complications.