"Don't Say the Word 'Cancer' – Use 'Condition' Instead", Head of Plastic Surgery Association Advised Members

The New York Times (2/18, sorry must register) reports, American Society of Plastic Surgeons President Dr. Phil Haeck advised members during a Feb. 3 webinar to call anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) "'a condition' and avoid using the words cancer, tumor, disease or malignancy" when talking to patients considering breast implants.

Notably, the FDA recently announced that breast implants might cause an increased risk for ALCL. Public Citizen publicized a transcript of Dr. Haeck's comments Thursday. The advocacy group also wrote to the FDA, characterizing the advice as "a misinformation campaign devised to play down" breast-implant risks, and urging the agency "to put a stop to it."