Breast Carcinoma Following Silicone Injection

ABSTRACT

A 57-year-old woman developed an inflammatory carcinoma in her left breast next to the spot of a silicone injection that had been used for augmentation some 20 years previously. She underwent a modified radical mastectomy with an axillary lymph node dissection. There have been relatively few cases reported in the literature that have noted breast cancer associated with silicone injections. During physical examinations, such breasts are frequently firm, tender, painful, and inflamed. Far more important, in silicone-injected breasts, carcinomas become more difficult to detect by physical examination, mam mography, and other known methods. Although no causal relationship between silicone and breast carci nomas is implied, a heightened awareness of the possible coexistence of silicone mastopathy and a breast carcinoma is necessary.