‘No link’ between hip implant and cancer

Published on 04/04/2012 01:30

There is no evidence that metal-on-metal hip implants increase the risk of cancer, although longer-term studies are needed, experts said.

A new analysis of almost 41,000 patients found no link between the controversial implants and the disease in the seven years following surgery.

Last month, experts writing in The Lancet medical journal called for all metal-on-metal implants to be banned due to evidence of high revision rates.

Tiny metal ions are thought to break off from the implants and leak into the blood, with fears this leads to muscle and bone damage.

Evidence shows the implant has a revision rate of 10.7 per cent just four years after initial surgery, which is “unacceptably high”, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency said.