A woman who was awarded an out-of-court settlement of £57,000 from the manufacturer of her breast implants after she developed a rare cancer has urged others to fight for compensation, saying women who are walking around with the same implants are ‘like a ticking time bomb’. 

Speaking for the first time about her decades-long ordeal as part of a special investigation by Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, Susan Axelby, from Sheffield, said Allergan Ltd, the company who made the textured biocell breast implants but admitted no liability in her case, needed to be ‘brought to justice’. 

In an emotional interview, Axelby, who’s in her early seventies, explained how she had a double mastectomy 25 years ago because of a strong family history of breast cancer. 

She told the programme’s reporter, Melanie Abbott, that she was stunned when it was revealed that she had potentially fatal breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) in 2018.

Susan Axelby, from Sheffield, spoke to Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour about why she thinks other women who were given breast implants made by Allergan Ltd should seek compensation from the pharmaceutical company, saying the company knows there are women out there who could develop BIA-ALCL cancer, as she did

An emotional Axelby told the programme: ‘I didn’t believe it, I was in denial. I had my breasts removed to stop me having cancer, and now I’ve got cancer. How can that be?’ 

She had a double mastectomy in 1999 but the operation was botched and left her on the verge of a breakdown.  

She explained: ‘They weren’t formed properly, one was higher than the other one, all the skin was puckered, the nipples weren’t in the right place. I had scars.’

Axelby also developed necrosis (premature death of cells in living tissue) because ‘there wasn’t any oxygen getting to the nerve ends – the smell was horrendous, like dead meat or worse’.

Axelby told the programme that her diagnosis was particularly hard to take because she’d taken preventative measures against breast cancer in the first place by having a double mastectomy due to her family history 

She spotted significant swelling and pain around her right implant and was diagnosed with potentially fatal breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma in 2018 (stock image)

She says the operation left her having a mental breakdown: ‘I was housebound for two years, I turned to alcohol and I was drinking every day.’

Eventually, she was offered alternative implants – with the surgeon using ones manufactured by Allergan Ltd.   

Several years later, she noticed significant swelling and pain around her right implant and was diagnosed with BIA-ALCL in 2018.

It is a form of non-Hodgkinson’s lymphoma which develops in the scar tissue around implants and is believed to be linked with those from Allergan Ltd.

She then underwent surgery again to remove the implants. Describing how her body looks now, she told Woman’s Hour: ‘There’s no nipples, just a straight line across the top of my body. I don’t like anyone to see me without any clothes on.’

She’s determined that others should seek compensation from Allergan Ltd now too.  

Read More

Former NHS breast surgeon slams Elle Macpherson for promoting ‘holistic’ cancer treatment

‘There’s young girls, who obviously wanted breast augmentation – they’re walking around like timebombs. They’ve no idea what’s in their body now. 

‘They [Allergan Ltd] know this, they’ve known this for years that there’s a chance this could happen. They need to be brought to justice.’

Allergan Ltd told Woman’s Hour: ‘In 2019, Allergan issued a global recall of biocell textured implants and tissue expanders and no longer manufactures these type of implants.’

However, Sarah Moore, a partner at Leigh Day solicitors who represented Axelby in her product liability claim against Allergan Ltd, said women who received them remain at risk.

Axelby’s claim was settled and she received compensation from Allergan in November 2023 with no admission of liability. 

It is thought that the five-figure settlement is one of the first settlements against Allergan Ltd for BIA-ALCL in the UK.

At the time of the pay-out, Axelby said: ‘My diagnosis with BIA-ALCL was a nightmare. The impact on my life has been very significant.

‘I wanted to take legal action against Allergan to ensure that there was some form of accountability.

Ms Axelby had breast implants following a double mastectomy in 1999, which she chose to do due to fears around the high risk of breast cancer in her family (stock image)

The breast implants from Allergen were suspended from the worldwide market in 2018, recalled in 2019 and are no longer used in the UK (stock image)

‘It has been seen to be the view of experts that some of these implants cause cancer.

‘It is crucial that other women are made aware of this and that Allergan Ltd provide compensation so that they can take relevant steps to address their position.’

The UK government website says the majority of BIA-ALCL is diagnosed early and cured by removal of the implants with surrounding scar tissue with no additional cancer treatment required.

However, in a small number of cases further treatment such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy or radiotherapy may be required.

Officials say there is no screening test for the disease and any women who notice any unexpected changes in size, shape or feel of their breasts should see their GP.

Sarah Moore, a partner in Leigh Day’s international group claims department, said: ‘I am pleased that we were able to achieve this settlement for Susan and hope that it will provide some form of closure for her in respect of her difficult experience with Allergan implants.

‘Women with Allergan breast implants remain at risk of developing BIA-ALCL.

‘This risk is reportedly low, however, we continue to be concerned about the obstacles women face, particularly in the private sector, in obtaining a BIA-ALCL diagnosis.’