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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
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Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Published on: July 5, 2011
Cancer after total joint arthroplasty: a meta-analysis
Tracy Onega1, John Baron, Todd MacKenzie
1Department of Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School, Evergreen Center, Suite 300, 46 Centerra Parkway, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA.
Summary
Total joint arthroplasty does not increase overall cancer risk. However, prostate cancer and melanoma risks may be elevated, with no clear cause identified for these associations.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Oncology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Previous studies suggested a potential link between total joint arthroplasty (TJA) and increased cancer risk.
- This meta-analysis aimed to clarify the association between TJA and subsequent cancer incidence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between total joint arthroplasty and the incidence of various cancers.
- To analyze cancer risk across different anatomic sites and over time following TJA.
Main Methods:
- A meta-analysis of population-based studies reporting standardized incidence ratios (SIR) for cancer post-TJA.
- Calculated SIRs for all cancers and 28 specific sites, including latency analysis in 175,166 patients.
Main Results:
- Overall cancer risk was comparable to the general population.
- Increased risks observed for prostate cancer (SIR 1.12) and melanoma (SIR 1.43 after 10+ years).
- Reduced risks for luminal gastrointestinal cancers; lung cancer risk increased over time.
Conclusions:
- No overall increased cancer risk identified following TJA.
- Elevated risks for prostate cancer and melanoma warrant further investigation.
- Observed risk reductions for some cancers may not be causally linked to TJA.
