Bizarre Stories About Breast Implants

Just recently, a Florida woman made headlines after she was attacked by her ex-fiance’s new girlfriend.  While crime of passion is not uncommon, what makes the story bizarre is that she survived because her salinebreast implant prevented the pocket knife from piercing her heart and lungs.

If this story sounds weird, hold yourself from more bizarre news involving breast implants.

1.     Snake dies after biting a woman’s chest.

In 2011, a model from Israel was attempting a stupid act live on air: kiss a snake.  Unfortunately, the boa constrictor died after it bit her surgically-enhanced breast; reports showed the cause of death was silicone poisoning.

Surprisingly, the model did not suffer from any serious problem although she was rushed to the hospital right after the incident and was given an anti-tetanus shot.

2.     Politician raffles breast implants to raise funds for campaign.

In Venezuela, a politician raised money for his campaign by raffling off breast implants.  Gustavo Rojas defended his action and said that while people raffle televisions and other appliances, he decided to offer cosmetic surgery which he said was far more interesting.

“It is an interesting prize…I’m not showing disrespect to anyone,” Rojas said.  

3.     Woman survives gun attack because of her breast implants.

A Los Angeles woman was shot in the chest but survived when her breast implant stopped the bullet from reaching her heart.

When Lydia Carranza was brought to the hospital and underwent a CT scan, doctors were amazed to realize that the bullet fragments were millimeters away from reaching her heart and other vital organs.

Carranza was at her office when a co-worker’s husband fired at her and his wife.  The wife died during the shooting incident.

4.     Woman survives a car crash thanks to her breast implants.

A 24-year-old Bulgarian woman survived a head-on collision when her 40DD breast implants absorbed most of the impact, preventing fatal injuries on her ribcage, lungs, heart, and other vital organs.

While she survived the accident, her silicone breast implants did not.  A police officer said the devices worked like airbags—they absorbed the impact and protected the victim’s ribcage.

5.     Woman accused of faking breast cancer to get implants.

Trista Joy Lathern from Texas lied about having breast cancer to raise $10,000 which has been used to pay her breast augmentation surgery.  She even shaved her head to look like she was terminally ill.

When authorities found out her scam, she was charged with theft by deception.

Breast Implants Save Woman’s Life During an Attack

Yes, the headline sounds comical but it is true.  A woman in Florida has claimed that her saline breast implant saved her life after it prevented a pocket knife from piercing her lungs and heart.

Meanwhile, doctors believe that the victim’s breast implant really saved her life.  The woman, who did not want to be named, said she was stabbed by her ex-fiance’s new girlfriend several times using a pocket knife.

The suspect, Amy Winter, stabbed the 41-year-old victim several times in her left chest. 

Because the breast implant absorbed the deadly blow, it prevented the pocket knife from piercing the victim’s vital organs.  In fact, doctors said that without the synthetic device, she could have sustained fatal injuries such as collapsed lungs and heart failure.

The incident happened outside the victim’s apartment in Melbourne.  According to police report, Winter scratched her car and stabbed her repeatedly during confrontation.

The victim said the attack happened so fast that she found herself covered with blood—and also saline (or simply saltwater solution) from the ruptured breast implants, which she got three months ago.  For this reason, she said that her breastaugmentation, which cost $6,000, is probably the best investment she ever made.

Meanwhile, the breast implant manufacturer said it will provide warranty because the patient is a victim of a crime.

Dr. Tarick Smaili, a breast augmentation doctor who did not treat the victim, said that he heard a few cases of breast implants “inordinately saving a woman’s life.”

“A few years ago, I read a news about a woman in Los Angeles who was shot in the chest but the bullet fragments, as shown by the CT scan, were prevented by the implants from reaching the heart and other vital organs,” Smaili said.

“So this news about a woman with breast implants who survived after being stabbed in the chest no longer sounds incredulous or impossible to me.  I hear such stories from time to time so this one no longer surprises me,” the Los Angeles plastic surgeon said.

Can Breast Implants Lead to Stretch Marks?

As its name suggests, the primary aim of breast augmentation surgery is to increase the bust size using either saline or silicone implants.  In the US, only Allergan and Mentor are allowed by the Food and Drug Administration to sell these products to the market.

One of the most common concerns of patients considering breast augmentation is stretch mark, which happens when the skin tissue is stretched to its limit, resulting to purplish, reddish, or whitish stripes.  This often occurs after a significant weight gain/lose and pregnancy.

In some cases, breastimplants can cause stretch marks although a patient’s predisposition to have them depends on many factors including the implant size.  The rule of thumb is that the larger the device is, the higher the risk of developing the whitish or purplish stripes on the skin.

One effective way to lower the chance of having stretch marks after breast augmentation surgery is to use smaller implants.  Most plastic surgeons will likely agree that a 300 to 350 cubic centimeter (cc) range is a reasonable size.

By contrast, breast implants that come in 500cc size and above are often considered relatively large especially if these are going to be used on petite patients.

Aside from large breast implants, the age also seems to affect the likelihood of developing stretch marks.  According to some surveys, the problem is more common on younger women (those who are in their 20s and younger) than adult patients.

Plastic surgeons have also noticed that placing the implants on top of the muscle (subglandular technique) can increase the risk of stretch marks than positioning the devices below the muscle (submuscular technique).

Perhaps the reason why the subglandular implant placement increases the risk of stretch marks is that only the skin and tissue provide support to the weight of the device.  On the other hand, the submuscular technique offers more coverage and support to the implant, preventing the skin from stretching too much.

Also, most patients who developed stretch marks after breast augmentation have previously experienced the problem, although choosing a reasonable implant size and using the proper implant placement can reduce their risk.

By contrast, it is very unlikely for patients who have not experienced stretch marks to have the problem after breast augmentation surgery.

Fortunately, most patients who have developed stretch marks after breast augmentation reported that the purplish stripes turned white and became barely noticeable within three to four months. 

Breast Implants for Women with Active Lifestyle

Contrary to popular belief, female athletes and women who live an active lifestyle can have breast augmentation surgery.  However, certain factors must be considered to achieve the best result possible and minimize the risk of complications.

In general, athletic women—especially those who are thin—should use small implants or those from 300 to 350 cubic centimeters range.  By using the right size, their body will not be hindered from certain movements.

The problem with large breastimplants is that they interfere with the patients’ movement, which is a concern of athletes and women who lead an active lifestyle.  Also, these may result to the “heavy top” and unnatural look.

Another consideration to make is that active women often have less amount of fats in their breasts.  This simply means that they are more prone to visible and palpable rippling than women with thicker glandular tissues and fats.

To reduce the risk of wrinkling and rippling, thin athletic women are advised to choose small implants that can provide them a B to C cup bust size after their surgery.  Nonetheless, the exact size also depends on other factors including breast base measurements, chest width, waistline, and other pertinent anatomical features.

Aside from using smaller breast implants, another technique to minimize the risk of wrinkling is to place the devices under the pec muscle rather than in front of it.  In this way, not only the skin and tissue will cover the implant shell but also the muscle.

Another advantage of submuscular implant placement is that it can prevent or postpone ptosis (or sagging) because the muscle provides a strong support.  By contrast, the subglandular placement—a technique in which the device is positioned above the muscle—is believed to increase the risk of sagging and wrinkling particularly on women with limited glandular tissue and fat.

Despite the advantages of submuscular implant placement, one tradeoff is the longer recovery and more pain and discomfort.  But when everything heals, most patients will regain their normal muscle contraction, although in rare occasion some women will have distortion of the lower inner region of the breasts as the pec muscle is flexed.

Fortunately, the problem is relatively uncommon; in fact, some body-builders have submuscular breast implant placement. 

As mentioned earlier, most athletic women have little glandular fats.  For this reason, most plastic surgeons would likely recommend smooth round implants rather than textured tear drop implants which have a rough surface.

Smooth implants can lessen the risk of visible wrinkling especially if there is a little amount of breast tissue and fats to work with.  By contrast, textured implants are not recommended for thin patients because of the risk of rippling.

Celebrity Body-Builder to Downsize Her Breast Implants

In a recent interview, celebrity body-builder Jodie Marsh said she wants to downside her breast implants with a revision plastic surgery that is going to be performed this year.  Her decision to get another “boob job” came after dropping to a size 6 over the past couple of months.

The British tv personality, who has appeared topless on numerous tabloid newspapers, was quoted saying that her large implants seem out of proportion with her smaller body-frame.  In fact, she even admitted to “lifting her breasts” during body-building competitions because they hide the “first couple of rows of her abs.”

Meanwhile, Dr. TarickSmaili, a cosmetic surgeon who did not treat Marsh, said that he is seeing more patients wanting to downside their breasts in order to achieve a more natural look.

“In general, very large breast implants lead to the heavy top look which often looks unnatural, especially if you have a small frame and limited chest width.  Surprisingly, this was a trend during the previous years although I am now seeing that many patients are opting to replace their implants with smaller ones to look natural,” Smaili said.

Another concern with extremely large breast implants, Smaili said, is that the patients are at higher risk of rippling, which is more of a problem if they have a limited amount of breast tissue and fats to cover the implant shell.

Citing the body-builder’s recent photo, Smaili said that her upper and medial cleavage has some visible rippling, which the doctor explained is caused by implants that are too large for her body.

Marsh is not the only celebrity who is shifting to the natural look.  In fact, Denise Richards and Pamela Anderson have been reported to undergo a revision breast augmentation to downsize their implants.

Another good example is Kate Hudson who has been reported to have plastic surgery in 2010 to receive small breast implants that no one would even be able to tell she have them if not for her previous videos and photos.

Going back to Marsh, she previously said that she was concerned if she had the controversial PIP breast implants which have been pulled out in the UK market and other countries after findings suggest the devices have a very high failure rate.

However, she did not mention if her decision to replace her breast implants with smaller ones has also something to do with the controversial PIP devices.

Did Cameron Diaz Undergo Breast Implant Surgery?

Hollywood sweetheart Cameron Diaz has recently been the center of rumors.  According to some showbiz news reports, the actress may have received breast augmentation surgery after a recent photo shows her seemingly larger bust size while wearing a tiny bikini.

The 39-year-old actress was spotted on the Hawaiian beach during the holiday with a more toned and shapelier body.  Some experts have said that she may have increased her bust size by a cup.

While Diaz’s body appears to be shapelier than the previous years, some people are really not convinced if she had the procedure as the increase in her bust size was not as significant as compared to other celebrities who have gone under the surgical knife.  In fact, some bloggers even said that a slight weight gain may be the primary reason for the actress’ improved figure.

During previous interviews, Diaz was quoted saying that she would love to have a curvier figure, something she said she was not “naturally gifted.”

Meanwhile, the actress was not a first-timer in plastic surgery.  In 2006, she had rhinoplasty or nose surgery after sustaining injuries; however, the Hollywood star said she would rule out cosmetic surgery.

Whether Diaz has gone under the knife or just gained some weight that resulted to a shapelier figure, it is really hard to tell since the increase in her bust size was not dramatic.  And because the actress has brushed off rumors of her alleged breast augmentation surgery, the only thing people can do is speculate.

But assuming that Diaz had breast implant surgery, her decision to choose smaller implants is commendable as it resulted to a very natural appearance rather than looking “heavy” on top. 

Meanwhile, Dr. Tarick Smaili said that he is seeing more and more women opting for the natural look.

“I see that the growing trend is having smaller implants so the results will be natural that it would be hard or even impossible to tell if a woman has undergone plastic surgery or not.  In fact, we’ve seen Hollywood celebrities such as Denise Richards and Pamela Anderson downsizing their bust size with another augmentation surgery,” the leading cosmetic surgeon said.

During the previous years, the actress has been accused of yoyo dieting that left her with a very thin frame and flat chest.  But after she gained some weight, she now looks healthier and shapelier than the previous years.

Does Plastic Surgery Impede Dolly Parton’s Acting?

Movie critics are not happy with Dolly Parton’s acting in her newest film, Joyful Noise, in which she and Queen Latifah play rival gospel singers in a small town.  Most of them cited the actress-singer’s noticeable plastic surgery, which they blamed as the main culprit for her “lack of expression.”

While the movie has made Dolly’s plastic surgery a butt of joke, with some of the characters’ tacky reference to her “overdone” appearance, not everyone is laughing.  Many people—especially movie critics—believe the actress deserves better than the slapstick, loud film that undermines her talents.

Going back to her acting, some movie bloggers said it was “painful” seeing the actress with overdone plastic surgery especially on the big screen.  This is more of a problem with the emergence of high definition technology that can emphasize any facial flaws.

In fact, one writer at the Chicago Tribune has described Dolly’s plastic surgery “as if she did her last work in a drive-through.”  But despite the harsh comment, he noted the actress’ vocal prowess and her charm.

To digress from the movie and Dolly’s impeded acting skills, facelift surgery is not just about removing the facial aging—e.g., wrinkles and sagging—but more importantly is maintaining the normal appearance and fundamental shape of the face.  This is the rule of thumb followed by board-certified cosmetic surgeons.

“The goal of facial plastic surgery is to create a natural appearance and not a windblown face and squinty eyes,” said Dr. Tarick Smaili, one of the leading Los Angeles plastic surgeons.

To create a natural appearance,Dr. Smaili said the most important thing is to remove the right amount of skin.  By contrast, he said that excising too much facial tissue can result to the “dreaded windswept look and squinty eyes.”

Another technique is to go deeper into the facial tissues, the cosmetic surgeon added, so the result of facelift surgery can last 10 to 15 years without the need for revision procedures.

However, Dr. Smaili warned that facelift does not stop the aging of the face and so the need for “minor tweaks” after 10 years will be needed in order to maintain the youthful appearance.  Revisions may include “isolated facelift,” Botox injection, eyelid lift, and even nose job (particularly for aging patients whose nasal tip becomes too drooping and elongated).

Citing Dolly’s appearance,Dr. Smaili said the actress probably had “too invasive” secondary facial rejuvenation procedures that resulted to her lack of expression.

Brazil Bans French-Made Breast Implants

Just recently, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has released a statement saying the defective silicone breast implants made by PIP, a now bankrupt French company, did not reach the US.  This means that only patients who received breast augmentation outside the country are the ones who should only be concerned with the products.

But unfortunately, the ASPS said that about 80 percent of PIP breast implants were exported to other countries including UK, Chile, Spain, Germany, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, and Brazil.  For this reason, estimates suggest that 300,000 patients worldwide are affected by the substandard products.

Meanwhile, some reports show that PIP implants were sold by a Dutch-based company under the brand name “M” which was commonly used in Brazil.  And with the growing international scandal, the biggest country in Latin America has recently banned the defective products.

Aside from a nationwide ban, Brazil’s healthy ministry also said the government is willing to pay the medical costs for the removal of PIP breast implants.  This has also been the promise of French authority to the affected patients.

In fact, 39 women in Brazil have been entitled to receive implant removal surgery free of charge.

On the other hand, UK authority still insists that there is no reason to conduct a nationwide removal of PIP breast implants.  Such statement has appalled the public as some authorities directly said the government and clinics cannot foot the bill for about 40,000 patients with PIP implants, which are said to lack coating that prevents the gel filling from leaking out of the shell.

While Brazil is offering free implant removal surgery, the government said the coverage is only applicable for those with ruptured implants.  And without any symptoms, a patient should foot the bill if she is concerned with the potential complications associated with PIP’s products.

“We are not offering free preventive surgeries,” one government official said.

Currently, the health ministry has no idea on how many PIPbreast implants were imported and sold in Brazil.  However, it has discovered that in December last year alone, the country imported about 34,631 implants, with 24,534 of these were sold.

Snooki Says She Wants Breast Implants After Weight Loss

A month after shocking her fans with her new figure, reality tv star Snooki—whose real name is Nicole Polizzi—said she wants to have breast implants as a reward for her weight loss.

The 4’9” television celebrity, who is known for her countless misdemeanors, Tweeted a message saying that she would not mind having a bigger bust size like her Jersey Shore co-star JWoww whose real name is Jenni Farley.

“All I want for Christmas is big knockers like JENNIWOWW.  Thanks Santa,” the pint-sized reality tv star said on her Twitter account.

With Snooki’s small frame, most people would probably wish that she will choose small- to moderate-sized breast implants so the result will look as natural as possible rather than fake. 

Aside from natural results, considering the overall body frame, chest width, and rib cage can also help breast augmentation patients to minimize the risk of rippling and wrinkling, especially those with limited amounts of fats and tissues in their breasts.

Meanwhile, it is not yet clear on when will Snooki get breast augmentation surgery, although she still trying to meet her weight goal which is 45kg through regular gym sessions and diet pill Zantres-3, a product which she advertizes.

Best and Worst Celebrity Plastic Surgery 2011

The year 2011 has ended great or worse for some celebrities who have always been the most ardent patrons of cosmetic plastic surgery.  While some have managed to improve their looks, others have fallen into their obsession and ended up with a not-so-flattering appearance.

This is a list of best and worst celebrity cosmetic surgery of 2011:

·         Lil’ Kim

She used to look naturally beautiful, but with bad plastic surgery, she ended up having too prominent cheeks and a too pointy nose that almost resembles that of the late King of Pop Michael Jackson.

Another notable change is her bust size.  However, it seems that the 4’11” singer has gone overboard with her outrageously large breastimplants.  It could have been better if she chose smaller ones to fit her petite frame.

·         Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson is a perfect example of a good breast augmentation surgery.  She only asked for small breast implants to better fit her petite frame, giving her a nice B cup from a “double A.”  Because of the natural look she has achieved, not everyone is even convinced that she had plastic surgery, with some even saying that she might have started using “good” push-up bras.

While Kate has not yet confirmed if she went under the knife, her previous photos show the “subtle” improvements.

·         Ashlee Simpson

Her previous nose was too large.  But with a good rhinoplasty surgeon, she now has a smaller, delicate-looking nose that complements her face.  However, the singer is still denying having plastic surgery.

·         Joan Rivers

Over the past several years, television personality Joan Rivers has always been included in the list of worst plastic surgery.  But despite the notoriety of her obsession, she still continues to make some “tweaks” here and there that it is hard to tell how many cosmetic surgeries she had and is planning to have.

·         Jane Fonda

Joan Rivers should learn from Jane Fonda who had facelift, eyelid lift, and necklift.  The actress looks younger and refreshed nowadays, without looking like a wind just blew her face—a manifestation of bad facial plastic surgery.

·         Donatella Versace

The Italian fashion designer may be talented in making fashionable clothes but is probably clueless when it comes to “ideal beauty.”  With her swollen, stretched out lips and her unflattering tan, or sometimes orange complexion, she definitely looks “unglamorous.”

·         Megan Fox

While the sultry actress has repeatedly denied having plastic surgery, it is really hard to refute that her looks are solely from good genes.  Some doctors claim that she had nose job and eyelid surgery to make herself one of the most gorgeous celebrities in Hollywood.  But even if the cosmetic procedures are just plain rumors or real—and her appearance is just created by talented makeup artists and good photoshop skills—she looks stunningly beautiful.

·         Heidi Montag

The reality tv star admitted to have had 10 plastic surgeries in one day.  In 2010, she had buttock augmentation, breast implant surgery, brow lift, Botox injection on her forehead, liposuction on her midsection, neck liposuction, fat injection on her face, chin reduction, ear pinning, and nose job.

But just after several months of her extreme makeover, she said during an interview that she regretted her surgeries.

·         Jennifer Aniston

The actress has previously admitted to have had nose surgeries, although she claimed that these were done to correct her deviated septum, which is the strip of tissue separating the two nostrils.  But whether she had the procedures for cosmetic or reconstructive reasons, she looks more gorgeous these days.

·         Nadya Suleman

The “Octomom” had tummytuck surgery after giving birth to octuplets.  However, her plastic surgeon had probably gone overboard as her abdomen now appears too flat that it has no definition or contour.  Plus, her navel looks like it was created by making a vertical slit, making it hard to deny that she had the procedure.

·         Lisa Rinna

The television host and actress had definitely joined the bandwagon of celebrities with a larger-than-life lip.  While this is a growing trend among famous people, any self-respecting plastic surgeon would definitely not agree with the swollen, stretched out lips.

Also, Lisa’s multiple facial plastic surgeries left her with an unnaturally smooth, windswept appearance.  Meanwhile, she was quoted saying in 2009 that she regretted going overboard with cosmetic procedures.

·         Jocelyn Wildenstein

The wealthy socialite, dubbed as the “Lion Queen” and the “Cat Lady,” has been reported to spend a whopping $4 million just to look like a feline.  For several years, she has managed to make it to the list of worst plastic surgery.

·         Ellen DeGeneres

While Ellen has not yet confirmed if she had plasticsurgery, it is hard to deny that she looks younger and refreshed nowadays.  Some cosmetic surgeons assume that she may have had facelift, eyelid lift, laser skin resurfacing, Botox, and/or neck lift. 

Ellen is a perfect example of “natural look” after facial plastic surgery.

Substandard Breast Implants from France Did Not Reach the US—ASPS

About 30,000 women in France will receive surgery to remove the defective breast implants which are highly prone to rupture and leak, while approximately 50,000 patients in UK have these substandard devices which were manufactured by Poly Implant Prothese (PIP).

While the defective siliconebreast implants were exported to Brazil, UK, Chile, Argentina, Spain, Colombia, and Venezuela, the American Society of PlasticSurgeons (ASPS) said the products were never approved in the US.

In Germany and possibly elsewhere in Europe, the substandard PIP breast implants were sold under the brand name “M,” according to the ASPS website.  Meanwhile, about 80 percent of devices were exported outside France.

In a statement published on its web site, the ASPS said that “an American woman would need to have been implanted outside the United States in order to have received the implants that are now the subject of concern in France.”

According to earlier reports, about 50 clinics in UK have reported implant ruptures although the government said “there is no need to remove the products en masse.”

While the total number of British women with ruptured implants—which have been found to have a fragile shell—is still unknown, experts have estimated that about 1,000 patients could be affected.  However, this is just a conservative estimates assuming that implant failure rate is only 2 percent.

PIP’s cheap implants have been reported to be made of low-grade industrial silicone designed for mattress, making them “unfit for human use.”

Fazel Fatah, president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), said the “quality of the silicone in PIP implants is not of medical grade, therefore, these are not fit to be implanted into humans.”

While there is a call for the UK government to “require women with the substandard devices to undergo implant removal” and “to shoulder the surgical expenses,” the spokesman for private medical clinics said that it would be “irresponsible” to remove all the implants as clinics could not afford to pay all the related costs.

The spokesman added that their study has suggested that the rupture rate of PIP implants is “between 1 and 2 percent” which is described as “within the acceptable industry standard.”  However a separate study has shown that failure rate is approximately 7 percent.

PIP, which filed for bankruptcy two years ago, has been warned by US Food and Drug Administration in 2000 that its implants were substandard as the company failed to follow “good manufacturing practices.”

Breast Surgery Improves Post-Cancer Patients’ Emotional Well-Being

Reconstructive breast surgery is an important part of recovery after battling with breast cancer.  This procedure is performed beyond cosmetic reason as breasts have always been associated with womanhood and sexuality; for this reason, diseases and invasive surgeries that result to deformities can have a huge impact to a patient’s emotional health.

Meanwhile, breast reconstruction is either performed via breast implants and/or tissue-based method. 

According to a 2011 study published in Cancer, the official journal of the American Cancer Society, women who have undergone breast reconstruction in which the tissue was grafted from the abdomen have experienced significant gains in social, sexual, and psychological well-being.

The researchers believe their findings can help women suffering from breast cancer to decide if reconstructive plastic surgery can be a part of their recovery.

The study, which involved 51 women who had free MS-TRAM or DIEP flap reconstruction (tissue grafted from the abdomen to create a breast mound), shows the positive emotional impact of reconstructive breast surgery on post-cancer patients.  However, one downside is that majority have experienced muscle weakness in the abdominal area.

Some patients may have reconstructive plastic surgery right after their mastectomy, a procedure that completely or partially removes the breasts.  However, others have to wait for a couple of months to make sure that their body has already fully recovered from the trauma caused by the initial surgery.

If there is a significant deformity, most plastic surgeons recommend tissue-based grafting in which they use a patient’s own tissue from the abdomen to create a breast mound.  Meanwhile, the buttocks and back can also serve as a donor site to form new breast/s.

On the other hand, breast implant surgery may be enough for some patients especially if the initial surgery has left them with enough amount of breast tissue.  This technique often leads to less scarring than if the tissue-based method is used, although it is not recommended for those who are left with little or no tissue.

One downside of implant surgery is that the breast which is not treated may “age” at a different pace than the one with the implant, resulting to asymmetrical look.  For this reason, some patients may be recommended to have breast lift or other surgeries that can create a balance appearance.

Contrary to popular belief, breast implants do not pose a significant risk to post-cancer patients.  First and foremost, there is a very little chance of cancer recurrence on the breasts that have already been treated with mastectomy.