A reader recently emailed me asking me to write a peice on lymphoma (a type of breast cancer). Ironically I recently read a peice on the NYTs or maybe NPR about the link between breast implants and large cell lymphoma. So, I'll try my best to explain the little bit I know.
Lymphoma is a type of cancer that develops in our lymph cells, which are part of our immune system. Lymph cells/lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that travel in our circulation and whose primary function is to catch any foreign invaders (aka germs). These lymph cells party in different "clubs" in our bodies, and these are called lymph nodes. These sexy nodes can be found all throughout our body. In the top half of our body, these nodes are found under our tongue, under our jaw, around our ears, under our clavicle, and in our arm pits (this is the reason we must also rub in our arm pit during self breast exams).
Anyway, lymphomas are usually found as solid masses in these nodes. However, these nodes regularly become enlarged when we are fighting an infection (ie. like a throat infection) but can also be associated with cancer.
The NYTs article I came across was linking breast implants with an increased risk of developing a type of lymphoma. It is not breast cancer but a type if lymphoma that begins at the scar tissue that forms around the implant. The article also said that there was not enough data to completely link the lymphoma with breast implants, but one thing was clear, the risk for developing lymphoma was greater for women with breast implants than without.
I also beleive that in the future, we will begin seeing more and more nasty side effects linked to breast implants. But of course we will have to wait years and years until we have all the proper data to start mandating tons of rules for their usage.
Moral of the story....love the boobs momma gave you, and remember to give yourself a proper breast exam (get into all those arm pit nodes) once a month!
Lymphoma is a type of cancer that develops in our lymph cells, which are part of our immune system. Lymph cells/lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that travel in our circulation and whose primary function is to catch any foreign invaders (aka germs). These lymph cells party in different "clubs" in our bodies, and these are called lymph nodes. These sexy nodes can be found all throughout our body. In the top half of our body, these nodes are found under our tongue, under our jaw, around our ears, under our clavicle, and in our arm pits (this is the reason we must also rub in our arm pit during self breast exams).
Anyway, lymphomas are usually found as solid masses in these nodes. However, these nodes regularly become enlarged when we are fighting an infection (ie. like a throat infection) but can also be associated with cancer.
The NYTs article I came across was linking breast implants with an increased risk of developing a type of lymphoma. It is not breast cancer but a type if lymphoma that begins at the scar tissue that forms around the implant. The article also said that there was not enough data to completely link the lymphoma with breast implants, but one thing was clear, the risk for developing lymphoma was greater for women with breast implants than without.
I also beleive that in the future, we will begin seeing more and more nasty side effects linked to breast implants. But of course we will have to wait years and years until we have all the proper data to start mandating tons of rules for their usage.
Moral of the story....love the boobs momma gave you, and remember to give yourself a proper breast exam (get into all those arm pit nodes) once a month!
