Health authorities are warning people with breast implants to monitor for unusual symptoms, after 16 Victorian women developed a rare form of cancer.

Safer Care Victoria has reviewed the scale of the issue after it was identified by the Therapeutic Goods Administration two years ago.

Plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr Mark Duncan-Smith is recommending people with any type of implant to see their doctor.

“If a patient does have breast implants in, if they develop severe swelling, then they should immediately see their original surgeon or see their GP,” he told 6PR’s Liam Bartlett.

“But they also should contact them preemptively so that they can go in and get tested, and get educated about this problem.”

He said the risk from most textured implants is 23 times greater than from smooth implants.

“A bacteria called ralstonia feeds onto the breast implant in rare cases at the time of implantation, and with the textured implants there is more surface area for it to hide.”

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