Relation of free silicone to human breast carcinoma
L. Morgenstern, S. H. Gleischman, S. L. Michel, J. E. Rosenberg, I. Knight and D. Goodman
Of 12 women with carcinoma of the breast and coexistent silicone
mastopathy, nine had had injections of liquid silicone for breast
augmentation; three had leaking silicone-gel prostheses. The clinical
findings indicated that early diagnosis was obscured by the
silicone-induced mastopathy, which rendered the interpretation of physical
findings and mammograms difficult. The pathologic findings were suggestive
of a possible adverse effect of the presence of free silicone within the
breast tissue, axillary nodes, and axillary fat. Although no causal
relationship between silicone and breast carcinoma is implied, a heightened
awareness of the possible coexistence of silicone mastopathy and breast
carcinoma is necessary.
