No cancer rise in hip implant patients
“There is no evidence that metal-on-metal hip replacements increase the risk of cancer,” the BBC reported today.
The story was based on a study that found that patients with metal-on-metal hip replacements did not have a higher risk than the general population of developing cancer up to seven years after surgery, or than patients with hip replacements made of other materials.
It has been apparent in the hard research that has been carried out that there is no link that would cause the patients to have cancer years later after their operation.
The study was carried out by University of Bristol, University of Exeter and Wrightington Hospital, Wigan.
It was funded by the National Joint Registry for England and Wales.
According to Ripley and Heanor news the study comes in the wake of recent concerns about metal-on-metal hip implants, including high failure rates and the possible risks of small amounts of metal (ions) being released into the body. While the findings are reassuring, this type of study has limitations. In particular, it only looked at the risk of cancer within a few years of having hip replacement surgery. Given that several cancers can take many years to develop, a study of longer-term outcomes of metal-on-metal implants is required and recommended by the researchers.
