Got yourself tattooed? Study says it may lead to increased risk of cancer
tattoos
A new study has revealed that getting yourself tattooed may increase the chances of developing lymphoma, a broad term for cancer that begins in cells of the lymph system. Researchers at Lund University conducted a study involving 11,000 participants and found that the tattoo ink spurs inflammatory changes inside the body.
Study lead author Christel Nielsen, of Lund University, said in a statement, "People will likely want to continue to express their identity through tattoos, and therefore it is very important that we as a society can make sure that it is safe."
"For the individual, it is good to know that tattoos can affect your health, and that you should turn to your health care provider if you experience symptoms that you believe could be related to your tattoo," the statement added.
How was the study conducted?
A total of 11,905 participants were included in the study, including 2,938 of those who had developed lymphoma between the ages of 20 and 60. Out of them, 1,398 individuals completed a survey, compared to 4,193 participants in the control group.
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Of the 289 members of the lymphoma group, 21 per cent were found to have tattoos, compared to 18 per cent of the 735 members of the control group who had not received a lymphoma diagnosis.
“After taking into account other relevant factors, such as smoking and age, we found that the risk of developing lymphoma was 21 per cent higher among those who were tattooed," Nielsen said in a university news release.
"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," the researcher concluded.
Does tattoo size matter?
Researchers were not able to determine whether the size of the tattoo may have any impact on the chances of developing lymphoma.
"We already know that when the tattoo ink is injected into the skin, the body interprets this as something foreign that should not be there and the immune system is activated," she explained. "A large part of the ink is transported away from the skin, to the lymph nodes where it is deposited."
(With inputs from agencies)