A Swedish study published in the journal eClinical Medicine Studies show that tattoo ink may increase the risk of lymphoma, a type of cancer that involves the lymph nodes.
The researchers compared answers to questionnaires about lifestyle factors filled out by 1,398 adults with lymphoma between the ages of 20 and 60 and 4,193 adults without lymphoma.
In the lymphoma group, 21 percent had tattoos, compared with 18 percent in the group without a lymphoma diagnosis. Those who had tattoos had a 21 percent higher risk of developing malignant lymphoma, even after taking into account age, smoking, and other relevant factors.
Surprisingly, the size of the tattoo made no difference. “We don't yet know why this happened,” the lead researcher said. “One can only speculate that tattoos, regardless of their size, cause mild inflammation in the body, which in turn may promote cancer.”
“We already know that when tattoo ink is injected into the skin, the body interprets it as something foreign that shouldn't be there and the immune system is activated. A large portion of the ink is carried away from the skin to the lymph nodes, where it accumulates.”
Most people get their first tattoo when they are young, and are exposed to tattoo ink for a large portion of their lives.