Recent study suggests potential connection between tattoos and lymphoma; further investigation necessary, experts warn.
A team of researchers from Lund University desired to conduct this study as a result of limited research on the long-term health impacts of getting tattoos, particularly since tattooing remains a popular trend. According to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, around a third of Americans have at least one tattoo.
The study, published in the most recent issue of eClinicalMedicine, was conducted with data from almost 12,000 people in Sweden. The researchers selected almost 3,000 individuals in the study who experienced malignant lymphoma from 2007 to 2017 and compared them to a similar group without cancer. Malignant lymphoma is a type of cancer affecting the lymphatic system, responsible for fighting off germs and diseases. Established risk factors include a weakened immune system, certain infections, cancer family history, and exposure to chemicals, such as pesticides, herbicides, and second-hand smoke.
In 2021, the research team sent out questionnaires to these individuals, asking about potential lifestyle factors that could increase the risk for malignant lymphoma and whether they had any tattoos.
The researchers found a 21% higher likelihood for malignant lymphoma among individuals with at least one tattoo. However, the analysis adjusted for factors known to influence cancer risk like smoking and age. The study's authors stressed that further research is needed to fully understand this correlation.
Surprisingly, there was no evidence that the risk increased with the number of tattoos launched on someone's skin.
Christel Nielsen, a co-author and associate professor at the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Lund University, noted that the relationship between tattoos and cancer might be more intricate than initially believed.
"One can only speculate that a tattoo, regardless of size, causes a low-grade inflammation in the body, which in turn may trigger cancer," Nielsen commented in a news release.
The study's trustworthiness was challenged by experts. Dr. Timothy Rebbeck, an epidemiologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, uninvolved in the research, noted that the findings may even understate the possible connection between tattoos and cancer.
He pointed out that the primary lymphoma risk factors aren't found in the act of tattooing. "I would say the message here should be, we really didn't discover many insights about whether tattoos are associated with cancer via this study," Rebbeck remarked.
That year, a different study concluded that tattoos and lymphomas or blood-related cancers had no increased risk, contradicting the current research.
The 21% hike in the incidence of malignant lymphoma calculated in the study is inferred from the model applied, but it isn't statistically significant, according to Rebbeck.
Dr. Catherine Diefenbach, director of the Clinical Lymphoma Program at the NYU Langone Health Perlmutter Cancer Center, was puzzled by the study's results. "What doesn't make sense to me is why there's no correlation with the size of the tattoo. [...] If a tattoo triggers an immune or toxic response, it's perplexing that a larger tattoo didn't have a strong impact on the association," she commented.
Diefenbach clarified that she'd never encountered questions about a link between tattooing and cancer. Her reaction to the study's findings was: "I think people are becoming concerned about something that’s still early-stage research."
In previous works, both metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, potentially carcinogenic chemicals, have been found in tattoo ink. These chemicals can travel through the body, with their small particles potentially damaging lymph nodes, causing possible health issues. One study revealed that tattoo ink could alter specific blood cell parts, even though it's unclear how such changes might impact health.
Despite rare cases of infections post-tattooing, they generally seem unusual. The FDA, not requiring regulations of the tattooing process or the ink used, did issue 2023 draft guidance to specific ink producers and distributors, assisting them identify potential contamination and recalls. The FDA responds to complaints and investigates these concerns in the industry.
However, for our readers' safety, it's wise to keep in mind that more research is needed to validate these findings.
Nielsen's team plans to explore possible connections between tattoos and other forms of cancer or inflammatory diseases like arthritis, lupus, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
According to Rebbeck, who runs cancerfactfinder.org, understanding the relationship between tattoos and cancer can be confusing for the public. While some inquire about tattoos, there isn't enough solid evidence to suggest a correlation.
"We don't have a clear answer, but there's nothing to indicate that getting a tattoo will lead to having cancer," Rebbeck explains. Tweet this
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The study, published in eClinicalMedicine, used data from over 11,000 individuals in Sweden, with around 3,000 individuals having experienced malignant lymphoma from 2007 to 2017. (from the text)
Dr. Catherine Diefenbach, expressing her puzzlement, stated that it was perplexing that there was no correlation between the size of the tattoo and the risk of malignant lymphoma. (using the word "tattoo" from the text)
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