A recent study has found that women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations face a significantly higher risk of developing breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) after reconstruction with textured implants.
BIA-ALCL is a rare type of T cell lymphoma that forms in the tissue around textured breast implants. Researchers analysed data from 520 patients with breast cancer who underwent mastectomy and implant-based reconstruction, comparing those who developed BIA-ALCL with those who did not.
The results showed that women with BRCA mutations had an age-adjusted risk 16 times higher than those without the mutations (hazard ratio [HR]: 16; 95% CI: 3.6–76.1; p<0.0003). Other factors such as carrying bilateral implants (HR: 3.9; 95% CI: 0.4, 32.7), chemotherapy (HR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.2, 4.2), and radiation therapy (HR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.04, 3.1) were not associated with BIA-ALCL.
A separate case-control study, involving 13 BIA-ALCL cases matched with 39 controls, further confirmed the strong association between BRCA mutations and BIA-ALCL (p=0.0002).
The findings define BRCA1/2 mutations as important risk factors in the development of BIA-ALCL among women with textured implants after breast cancer. This evidence may influence clinical decision-making for breast reconstruction and highlight the need for careful risk assessment in patients with known BRCA mutations.
Reference
Ghione P et al. BRCA1/2 impact on the development of implant-associated lymphoma in women with breast cancer and textured implants. Blood Adv. 2025:bloodadvances.2025016810.
