Robert Whitfield MDAmerica's Breast Implant Illness Expert™

BIA-ALCL: One-Sided Swelling Years After Implants

16 Oct 2026 · 1 min

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In this brief video, Dr. Robert Whitfield warns that sudden, unilateral breast swelling in patients with implants—especially many years after surgery—should be evaluated promptly. While most cases are benign, a rare lymphoma called Breast Implant‑Associated Anaplastic Large‑Cell Lymphoma (BIA‑ALCL) can present as fluid accumulation or scar tissue around the implant, typically 7–10 years post‑operation. Dr. Whitfield emphasizes that almost all documented BIA‑ALCL cases involve textured (rough‑surface) implants. He advises viewers to verify their implant type by checking the implant card or contacting their surgeon’s office. Even if the implant is textured and the patient feels well, the FDA does not currently recommend prophylactic removal, but stresses the importance of recognizing early signs because early detection leads to highly treatable outcomes.

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If you've had implants for a year and one side starts swelling out of nowhere, get it checked, even if it doesn't hurt. Usually it's nothing, but once in a while, it's a rare cancer called BIA-ALCL. It's a lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system, and it grows in the fluid or scar tissue around the implant. It tends to show up 7 to 10 years after surgery. Your risk mostly comes down to one detail about your implant. Almost every case has been linked to textured implants, the ones with a rough surface. If you're not sure which kind you have, check the implant card you got after surgery or call the office that did it and ask. If yours are textured and you feel fine, the FDA isn't saying take them out. They're saying know the signs because if caught early, it's very treatable.