Full Papers
Systemic sclerosis and breast implants: associations between anti-RNA polymerase III antibodies and implant complications
J. Besteiro-Suarez1, N. Gioffre2, L. Nagib3, C.P. Denton4, V.H. Ong5
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; and Internal Medicine Department, Unit of Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, Vall d’Hebron Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain.
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
- oyal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London; and Division of Medicine, University College London, UK.
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London; and Division of Medicine, University College London, UK. v.ong@ucl.ac.uk
CER26
Full Papers
Received: 09/04/2026
Accepted : 13/05/2026
In Press: 21/05/2026
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:
To assess the potential association between systemic sclerosis (SSc) and breast implants, with particular attention to the temporal relationship with disease onset, autoantibody status, and implant-related complications.
METHODS:
We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all patients evaluated for SSc at a tertiary referral centre between 1998 and 2026. Patients with breast implants were identified through electronic health record searches. Demographic, clinical, immunological, and implant-related data were collected.
RESULTS:
Among 3138 patients with SSc in the whole cohort, sixty-five patients with SSc and breast implants were identified. Of these, 58 had undergone implantation prior to SSc onset, with a median interval of 8.6 years. A higher prevalence of anti-RNA polymerase III antibodies (ARA) was observed (32.8%).
Implant-related complications occurred in 41.7% of patients, most commonly rupture and lymphadenopathy, and frequently preceded SSc onset (29.2%). Compared with ARA-negative patients, ARA-positive patients were more likely to have implant-related complications (OR 4.32, 95% CI 1.26–14.84; p=0.032) and to have undergone explantation (OR 3.49, 95% CI 1.05–11.57; p=0.043) prior to SSc onset. No synchronous cancer was identified among ARA-positive patients.
CONCLUSIONS:
In this retrospective cohort of patients with SSc, breast implants and implant-related complications frequently preceded disease onset and were associated with ARA positivity. These findings indicate a temporal and clinical association but do not establish causality. Further multicentre prospective studies are required to confirm these observations.
