Why tattoos can trigger this rare form of Cancer

A recent study by Swedish researchers has found a potential link between tattoos and an increased risk of developing a rare type of cancer called lymphoma. Conducted by a team from Lynd University, the research focused on the relationship between tattoos and long-term health effects, particularly their connection to the lymphatic system.

Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that impacts the immune system. Dr. Christel Nielsen, who led the study, emphasized the importance of context in interpreting the findings.

“It is important to remember that lymphoma is a rare disease and that our results apply at the group level. The results now need to be verified and investigated further in other studies, and such research is ongoing,” she stated.

The study analyzed data from 11,905 participants, with 2,938 individuals aged between 20 and 60 years diagnosed with lymphoma. Among these participants, 54% responded to a questionnaire about their tattoos, compared to 47% in the control group without lymphoma.

The results revealed that 21% of the lymphoma group (289 people) had tattoos, whereas 18% of the control group (735 people) were tattooed. After adjusting for factors such as smoking and age, the researchers concluded that the risk of developing lymphoma was 21% higher for individuals with tattoos.

Interestingly, the size of the tattoo did not influence the risk, meaning that a full-body tattoo did not pose a greater risk than a smaller one.

The most common subtypes of lymphoma identified in the study were diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (28%), Hodgkin lymphoma (21%), and follicular lymphoma (18%). The average age of diagnosis ranged between 51 and 57 years, with Hodgkin lymphoma patients averaging 36 years old.

Dr. Nielsen highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the reasons for this increased risk.

“One can only speculate that a tattoo, regardless of size, triggers a low-grade inflammation in the body, which in turn can trigger cancer. The picture is thus more complex than we initially thought,” she explained.

The study noted that when tattoo ink is injected into the skin, the body perceives it as a foreign substance, prompting an immune response. A significant amount of ink is transported from the skin to the lymph nodes, where it accumulates.