Organ Transplants and Cancer Risk

“While transplantation is a life-saving therapy for patients with end-stage organ disease, it also puts recipients at an increased risk for developing cancer, in part because of medications administered to suppress the immune system and prevent rejection of the organ,”. Organ transplant recipients have a high risk of developing 32 different types of cancer, according to a new study. Future research to understand why may lead to better strategies for preventing cancer among transplant recipients.

In 2010, over 28,000 organ transplantations were performed in the U.S., including 16,899 kidney, 6,291 liver, 2,333 heart and 1,770 lung transplants. Transplant recipients are known to be at a higher risk for developing cancer than the general population. The researchers found a twofold overall increased risk of cancer among transplant recipients. They noted elevated risk for 32 different types of cancer, some known to be related to infectious agents (such as anal cancer and Kaposi sarcoma) and others unrelated to infections (such as melanoma and thyroid cancer). The most common cancers among transplant recipients were non-Hodgkin lymphoma (14% of all cancers in transplant recipients), lung cancer (13%), liver cancer (9%) and kidney cancer (7%). The risk of cancer was affected by the type of transplant. Lung cancer risk, for example, was highest in lung recipients. 

Body Produces “Industrial” Lubricant for Metal Hip Implants

A lubricating layer made of graphitic carbon naturally forms in the joints of metal-on-metal hip implants, a new study shows. This solid layer, produced within the body, is more like an industrial lubricant than joint fluid. The finding may help researchers design longer-lasting metal-on-metal hips for treating arthritis and other joint disorders. The most common hip implants are made of metal and polyethylene, a form of plastic. Over time, however, metal and plastic joints wear down, and broken-off bits can damage the remaining bone and tissue of the hip. Over the last 10 years, all-metal joints have become increasingly popular, as they are generally more stable and durable. In some cases, however, metal-on-metal implants can still shed damaging metal debris through wear and corrosion. Metal-on-metal joints aren't designed with lubrication but, with use, a thin layer appears in the joint between the ball and socket. This layer, which forms between the 2 rubbing metal faces, is known as a tribological layer. Researchers initially thought that it was made of proteins and other biological material, like the lubrication in a normal joint.

The researchers examined the tribological layer on 7 all-metal joints that had been removed from patients. They scraped off a bit of the layer and analyzed it by electron energy loss spectroscopy, a method that reveals the type of atoms present in a material. To their surprise, they discovered that the layer was made up in large part of graphitic carbon, with very little, if any, protein.

Discovery of Artificial Blood

In 1933, the American Clark and Gollan kept some mice immersed in a liquid which flooded their lungs and should have killed them. But they stayed alive. This fluid was an emulsion of a fluorocarbon in water. These fluorocarbon molecules link up with significant quantities of oxygen present in the water. This showed the beginnings of the invention of the blood substitute. In 1967, the American, Henry A. Sloviter injected the fluorocarbon emulsion into some rabbits along with the physiological liquid and some albumen. He also found that if the injected liquid is above a third in volume with respect to the blood, then the animal may die, because the substitute liquid cannot efficiently transport oxygen and carbon dioxide. The Japanese, Ryochi Naito carried out the first experiment on man by injecting himself with 200 ml of Fluosol DA, a milky looking artificial blood.

Which layers of skin are damaged by burns?

Burns may be caused by heat generated by radioactive, chemical, or electrical agents. Two factors affect burn severity: the depth of the burn and the extent of the burned area. There are three categories of burns: First-degree burns—Burns that are red and painful, but not swollen and blistering, such as from a sunburn, and damage only the epidermis. Second-degree burns—Burns that are red, painful, and blistering, these burns involve injury to the epidermis and the upper region of the dermis. Third-degree burns—Burns that are severely painful, giving the skin a white or charred appearance; they destroy all layers of the skin, including blood vessels and nerve endings. Skin damaged by third-degree burns does not regenerate. Damage to the skin affects the body’s ability to retain fluids.