Kathy’s Story- Breast Implants and Cancer
Breast Implants and Cancer
My Story by Kathy Lassen
I am a breast cancer survivor with a compelling story that I hope to share with the hundreds of thousands of women who undergo breast augmentation each year. It is my wish to fill the knowledge gap that exists about breast augmentation and breast cancer diagnosis.
My story begins with the replacement of my 17 year old breast implants. Due to capsular contracture – a condition that occurs when breast implants become very hard and misshapen, I elected to undergo surgery for the replacement of my encapsulated implants. I have always been a conscientious participant in the management of my health and wellness. I know the importance of breast cancer screening. I performed regular breast self examinations, received routine clinical breast exams and mammography’s, and maintained a healthful regimen of diet and exercise.
What I didn’t know is that breast implants interfere with the detection of breast cancer because implants can obscure the mammography image of a tumor, particularly if the woman has capsular contracture. Breast cancer is not always perceptible as a lump; in my case, it was tubular. It was concealed in the scar tissue surrounding the old implants, and was not distinguished on a mammogram, nor felt during a clinical exam.
I was fortunate to have been under the care of an outstanding surgeon who recognized the irregularity in the breast tissue surrounding my old implants and sent the tissue for biopsy. My elation with my enhanced physical appearance turned to despair. I went from a woman consumed with enhancing my appearance, to a woman consumed with saving my life. I endured several surgeries, eight chemo treatments and weeks of radiation. A scarf replaced my hair, my sense of self replaced my vanity, and the spirit within me emerged as a force I did not know I had.
Knowledge is essential to breast health, yet education about breast cancer and its relationship to breast implants, including conditions that can affect detection, does not exist – or is at the periphery of awareness. Most women are not cognizant of the issues and it is difficult, if not impossible, to find the subject reviewed in leading breast cancer publications or websites.
My mission to educate and empower women by building awareness and raising the support of all the daughters, sisters, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, best friends and loved ones took shape when I launched a tee shirt company called “Got Cancer Shirts”. My shirts are about raising the spirits of breast cancer patients, survivors, and co-survivors and raising money for the cause. They are embellished with Swarovski Crystals and tell a story about love, family, friendship, humility and survival.
And although the sparkling calligraphy on my tee shirts cheerfully spreads messages of life, hope and love, it is not enough. My Company is small, but my mission is big, and I need help educating women with breast implants about the risk of inadequate screening, and the detection alternatives available to them.
My thanks to Fightpink.org for allowing me to share my story.
Kathy Lassen
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Thanks for sharing Kathy. And thanks for helping to spread awareness.
So the way I understand it is you are making women who have had breast augmentation aware of the need to undergo further testing as the implants were impairing detection.
Can you share what the irregularities were that your physician found?
How did this affect you? Did you decide to still go through with replacement of your original implants? I think those who have had implants post surgery have been told that their oncologist will still check with them as they will not be able to get mammograms to detect cancer again.
Dear Route 53,
Thank you for your questions. My goal is to just let woman with implants know that routine mammograms and even ultra sounds are not foolproof. My cancer was tubular and hid in the scar tissue surrounding my implants. So here’s the unknown …. had I not had the implants and there wasn’t any scar tissue, would they have then detected the breast cancer? Your guess is as good as mine. I just want to emphasize to women that once you get implants, they aren’t necessarily there for life! One of mine became encapsulated, i.e., very hard and painful, so I chose to have them replaced. I went through the surgery, they looked awesome, and THEN 10 days later I was told I had cancer and that I needed a mastectomy! An expensive detection, but one that saved my life. Women HAVE to listen to their own bodies and have anything that they feel is abnormal, checked out. I don’t for a minute believe that implants caused my cancer. And long ago when I had mine done, they were placed on top of the muscle instead of under the muscle which is routine today. So that was another deterrent in their detection. I had a double mastectomy and once again have silicone implants. I get scans once a year and get checked every six months. I’m still paranoid about any little ache and pain I have …. right now I have a mass in my knee that I’m praying isn’t bone cancer!! I hate the cancer med I’m on right now (aromasin) as my joints ache and I have terrible arthritis in my hands. Maybe I’m just getting old but I still “think” that the cancer “could” recur. I don’t dwell on it by any means, but women need to speak up to one another and share their stories. So thank you for your inquiry and I hope I answered your questions. If not, ask away and I’ll be happy to share what I know and/or think. Many blessings.
Thanks for that information. There is never anything said for those of us with implants. I will be more aware from now on and more careful.
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