CLEVELAND, Posted 6:34 p.m. June 21, 1999 -- A federal advisory panel says silicone breast implants can cause problems for some women, but they do not cause life-threatening illnesses.

NewsChannel5 reports the panel says it found no evidence linking the implants to cancer and nerve and immune disorders. But the panel did say they can cause serious pain and discomfort for women when they rupture or an infection occurs.

The government banned the use of silicone implants in 1992, except in clinical studies of women receiving them after a mastectomy.