FDA Update: BIA-SCC and Other Capsule Lymphomas Are Distinct From BIA-ALCL
In this brief update, Dr. Robert Whitfield summarizes two FDA communications concerning malignancies associated with breast implant capsules. The September 2022 FDA safety communication highlighted the occurrence of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and several types of lymphoma within the capsule surrounding breast implants, emphasizing that these entities are distinct from breast implant‑associated anaplastic large‑cell lymphoma (BIA‑ALCL). A subsequent March 2023 FDA update reported the results of a literature review (through January 2023) that identified 19 published cases of SCC arising in the implant capsule. The presentation underscores the FDA’s effort to differentiate these rare capsule cancers from BIA‑ALCL and to track their incidence.
