Fw: Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and exposure to breast implants.

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From: " Kathi " <pureheart@...>

Sent: Monday, August 05, 2002 11:22 AM

Subject: Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and exposure to

breast implants.

> Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and exposure to

> breast implants.

>

> EW Karlson, M Tanasijevic, SE Hankinson, MH Liang, GA Colditz, FE

> Speizer, and PH Schur

>

> Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115. ekarlson@...

>

> BACKGROUND: Animal studies and uncontrolled case series in humans have

> suggested a possible association between breast implant exposure and

> monoclonal gammopathy. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether there is an

> increased risk of monoclonal gammopathy in women with silicone breast

> implants, we conducted a retrospective study of women exposed to breast

> implants and matched nonexposed women nested within a prospective cohort

> study (the Nurses' Health Study). METHODS: We used serum protein

> electrophoresis and immunoglobulin subtype by immunofixation to test 288

> women exposed to breast implants and 288 age-matched, nonexposed women

> who previously had provided a blood sample

> (1989-1990) for monoclonal proteins. RESULTS: Among the women exposed to

> breast implants, 5 had monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined

> significance

> (MGUS) compared with 4 women among those not exposed (odds ratio, 1.25;

> 95% confidence interval, 0.27-6.39). The distribution of isotypes was

> similar across exposure groups. The exposed women with MGUS tended to be

> older than the nonexposed women (mean age, 60.4 years vs 52.5 years,

> respectively; P =.03). None of the 9 women with MGUS had reported

> multiple myeloma or other hematologic malignancies up through 1996.

> CONCLUSIONS: We find little evidence to support a substantial increased

> risk of MGUS in women exposed to breast implants. Larger studies are

> needed to determine if a more modest relationship exists.

>

> Publication Types:

>

> Journal article

>

> MeSH Terms:

>

> Age Factors Aged Breast Implants Electrophoresis, Gel,

> Two-Dimensional Female Human Middle Age Paraproteinemias

> Prospective Studies Retrospective Studies Risk Factors Silicone Gels

> Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

>

> PMID: 11268230

>

>

>