Does Having a Breast Reduction or Lift Increase Your Chances of Breast Cancer or Cysts?

A breast reduction or lift will likely increase the chances of cysts due to inclusion cysts from de-epithelialization or from fat necrosis. Neither has been associated with an increased  risk of cancer. Furhtermore one European retrospective study has suggested a reduced risk of breast cancer in large breasted women who have undergone breast reduction.  

There is no increase risk of breast cancer from getting a breast reduction.  All breast tissue that is removed is routinely sent for pathologic analysis as a precautionary measure....the literature used to say 1 in 100 cases would find a breast cancer in the specimen, however most of us feel it is much more rare than that and I have never seen that.  If there specimen did in fact show cancer it would mean it was already present and actually it is important to know because the doctor would end up having to do more surgery.  I hope this helps!

Sincerely,

James F. Boynton, M.D., F.A.C.S.

When you have a breast reduction, a significant amount of breast tissue is removed. This means less tissue to get breast cancer in. It makes sense but it's hard to prove. I think we came closing to proving it in a paper we wrote and published a few years ago. It was a huge study.