Did you know that breast implants have increased by an astounding 900% over the past decade and a half? Many the these women are now entering the age at which breast cancer risk is real. The number of augmented women who are diagnosed with breast cancer in the last few years has sky-rocketed!

How are these women treated for their breast cancer? More and more surgeons are recommending mastectomies, despite the obvious priority these women place on appearance and cosmetics! The reason for this is the high rate of hardening of the implant (55%) after conventional whole breast irradiation over 6 weeks. Whole breast irradiation wraps radiation dose around the entire implant, causing scar tissue to encompass the implant. Scar tissue tends to contract over time, like a rubber-band, resulting in shrinkage of the breast and sometimes-painful hardening called "capsular contracture."

Is there a way to keep my breast and avoid this hardening of my implant? Yes. ABCs has revolutionized radiotherapy for augmented women by offering breast brachytherapy, or radioactive seed implantation into temporary catheters. Brachytherapy treats just the affected portion of the breast, from the inside-out, over 5-days instead of the traditional 6 weeks. Since very little of the implant receives radiation exposure, the scar tissue does not wrap around the silicone or saline implant, thus avoiding the shrinkage and hardening.

In considering your options, please note that breast reconstruction following a mastectomy produces long scars and a newly-created breast mound that lacks sensitivity and sensuality. So you do have the option of maintaining your breast and implant with partial breast irradiation. We have done pioneering work in this field and have the largest published series in the world on brachytherapy for augmented breast.