On-Site PhD conferral Mintsje de Boer
Supervisors: Prof. dr. R.R.W.J. van der Hulst, Prof. dr. D. de Jong, Prof. dr. F.E. van Leeuwen
Co-supervisor: Dr. H.A. Rakhorst, Medisch Centrum Twente/Zorg Groep Twente
Key words: breast prostheses, Breast implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), epidemiology, risks
"Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma in the breast in women with breast implants: a multidisciplinary approach to answer epidemiological, clinical and biological questions"
This dissertation studied the risks and risk factors of Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell T-cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). This is a rare type of lymphoma that occurs in the fluid or capsule surrounding a breast prosthesis. In the study, the authors highlight how many women in the Netherlands have a breast prosthesis (1 in 30) and what the risk is of BIA-ALCL: by the time a woman with a breast prosthesis reaches the age of 75, the risk is 1 in 7,000. This study also confirms the great importance of breast prosthesis registries for monitoring insights into prosthesis-related complications. In addition, genetic research has shown that BIA-ALCL shows specific DNA changes, and thus distinguishes itself as a new disease entity. The researchers call for better quality international research to identify the origins and risk factors.
