Breast cancer survivor indicates the chemotherapy tissue marker BioZorb did not absorb back into her body, leaving her with severe pain.
According to allegations raised in a product liability lawsuit filed late last month, a Pennsylvania woman who already survived breast cancer may now have to undergo additional surgery after her BioZorb tissue marker failed to absorb back into her body, forming a hardened and painful mass in her left breast.
BioZorb is a small implant approved for use among breast cancer survivors and other individuals who require targeted radiation therapy, which consists of a biodegradable spacer made from polylactic acid, and six permanent titanium clips. The implant is designed to gradually break down and dissolve in the body, leaving only the clips in place to aid in the precise marking of previous surgical tumor removal sites.
In a complaint (PDF) brought in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on September 30, Laura Nudel indicates that she still has a non-absorbed marker in her left breast, which will likely require future surgery to remove the BioZorb, and possibly removal of her entire breast, due to the pain and scarring.
She joins a growing number of breast cancer survivors now pursuing BioZorb lawsuits against Hologic, Inc., the manufacturer of the device, alleging that the tissue marker was sold in a defective condition, with inadequate warnings about the risk of side effects BioZorb may cause patients to experience.