--- title: "Breast Implants and Cancer Detection | Sutter Health" description: "I'm a 40-year-old woman considering modest-sized breast implants. Will they interfere with the ability to detect breast cancer?" url: "/ask-an-expert/answers/breast-implants-cancer-detection-1051061036" --- 1. Home / 2. Breast Implants and Cancer Detection # Breast Implants and Cancer Detection * * * Medically reviewed by - Karen Horton, M.D. ## Question I'm a 40-year-old woman considering modest-sized breast implants. Will they interfere with the ability to detect breast cancer? ## Answer Breast augmentation using implants will not interfere with breast cancer detection. Implants of all shapes and sizes have a shell made from silicone, which is an inert solid and is used in many implantable devices. The fill can be either saline (sterile salt water) or silicone gel. Sizes range from 125 cc to 800 cc, and implants may be smooth-walled or textured, round or shaped. Breast implants are placed either behind the breast tissue (subglandular position) or behind the breast tissue and the pectoralis major muscle (submuscular position). There are proponents for each technique, based on opinion and surgical training. Regardless of the placement of the implant, the fill material and the size, having breast implants does not interfere with breast self-examination, physician breast exams, mammograms, ultrasound, MRI or any other cancer detection techniques. When having a mammogram, women should inform the mammography technician that they have breast implants in place. A "displacement" technique will be done to help push the breast tissue off the implant and to allow the X-ray beams to shoot through the breast to accurately visualize the tissue. Occasionally, additional views are taken when an implant is in place. Mammograms are generally not recommended until age 40, as before this age breasts are quite dense and visualization is not reliable. A 40-year-old woman should have a mammogram as a baseline exam before considering any surgery of the breasts, including augmentation, reduction or a breast lift. Two studies in the literature actually showed that women with breast implants had earlier detection of breast cancer than those without implants, perhaps because the implant served as a surface against which a lump was palpated (felt) during breast self-examination. Having breast augmentation is a personal choice and should be researched in detail before you commit to any surgery. Make sure you consult with a plastic surgeon who is board-certified and experienced in the procedure you are seeking. ## Explore related topics Breast CancerSkin and beautyCancer ## Meet our care team Karen Horton, M.D. Plastic Surgery Microsurgery Reconstructive Surgery ## Related questions View all questions - Health Q&A ### Additional Views During a Mammogram I had breast cancer 10 years ago. I had chemo and radiation. I've had mammograms every year since. What does it mean when additional pictures are needed because of denseness? What is the cause, and what is the chance it's a reoccurrance of cancer? - Health Q&A ### Benign vs. Cancerous Breast Lumps What does a breast cancer lump feel like? I heard the lumps that move when touched aren't as much of a concern. - Health Q&A ### Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations Breast cancer runs in my family (mother). Should I get a mammogram earlier than 40? - Health Q&A ### Breast Tenderness Causes Is tenderness in the breast a concern for cancer? I have tenderness in just one fingertip size area to the left of the areola of the right breast. - Health Q&A ### Does Mastitis History Increase Breast Cancer Risk? Does a history of mastitis increase my risk for breast cancer? View all questions ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/breast-implants-cancer-detection-1051061036#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Breast Implants and Cancer Detection"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalWebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/breast-implants-cancer-detection-1051061036#medicalwebpage","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/breast-implants-cancer-detection-1051061036","name":"Breast Implants and Cancer Detection","description":"Breast augmentation using implants will not interfere with breast cancer detection.","inLanguage":"en-US","medicalAudience":{"@type":"MedicalAudience","audienceType":"Patient"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/breast-implants-cancer-detection-1051061036#breadcrumblist"},"mainEntity":{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/breast-implants-cancer-detection-1051061036#question","name":"Breast Implants and Cancer Detection","text":"I'm a 40-year-old woman considering modest-sized breast implants. 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Regardless of the placement of the implant, the fill material and the size, having breast implants does not interfere with breast self-examination, physician breast exams, mammograms, ultrasound, MRI or any other cancer detection techniques. When having a mammogram, women should inform the mammography technician that they have breast implants in place. A \"displacement\" technique will be done to help push the breast tissue off the implant and to allow the X-ray beams to shoot through the breast to accurately visualize the tissue. Occasionally, additional views are taken when an implant is in place. Mammograms are generally not recommended until age 40, as before this age breasts are quite dense and visualization is not reliable. A 40-year-old woman should have a mammogram as a baseline exam before considering any surgery of the breasts, including augmentation, reduction or a breast lift. Two studies in the literature actually showed that women with breast implants had earlier detection of breast cancer than those without implants, perhaps because the implant served as a surface against which a lump was palpated (felt) during breast self-examination. Having breast augmentation is a personal choice and should be researched in detail before you commit to any surgery. 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