RantCrush Top 5: May 15, 2017

Many breast cancer survivors choose to get reconstructive surgery after mastectomies. But it turns out that many of these breast implants can also cause cancer. The unusual disease is called breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma, and though it affects only a small portion of women with implants, the Food and Drug Administration has linked nine women’s deaths in the U.S. to this condition. Reportedly, the “complication” of getting cancer is only listed in the middle of a long list of side effects on the product’s label and few doctors are educated about the risk.

According to The New York Times, women who have suffered from this lymphoma say there is insufficient information and that there are often misdiagnoses. Kimra Rogers’ doctor treated her with six rounds of chemotherapy and 25 rounds of radiation, instead of removing the implants. She only learned that the implants could be to blame after reading about the issue in a Facebook group. Her insurance company then reportedly refused to pay for the removal, saying it was a cosmetic operation, even though physicians argued that it is needed to treat the cancer. Rogers is planning to sue the implant maker.

A Shocking Diagnosis: Breast Implants ‘Gave Me Cancer’ https://t.co/feJjsxPvFk
Cancer from what was supposed to take care of her? Horrible!

— Larry Holliday (@larrymholliday) May 14, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.