A picture is worth a thousand words, but a tattoo could cost more than a thousand health concerns. This is what emerges from a recent study conducted by researchers at Lund University in Sweden, which discovered a disturbing link between tattoos and the risk of developing malignant lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. According to the data, people with tattoos are 21% more likely to be diagnosed with lymphoma than those without tattoos. And this regardless of the size of the ink on the skin. Sobering news, considering the boom in popularity of tattoos in recent years. But what are the biological mechanisms behind this association? And how should tattoo lovers behave in the face of these results?
Lymphoma, a growing enemy
To fully understand the significance of this discovery, it is important to place it in the context of lymphoma epidemiology. This type of cancer, which affects the lymphatic system (part of the immune system), has seen a largely unexplained increase in incidence in recent years. The non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), which accounts for approximately 90% of all lymphomas. In Italy represents 3% of neoplasms, and can occur at any age.
The parallel rise in the popularity of tattoos and cases of lymphoma prompted Swedish researchers to investigate whether there was a link between the two phenomena. The study, published in the journal eClinical Medicine (I link it here), involved almost 12.000 people, of which 2.938 were diagnosed with lymphoma between the ages of 20 and 60 (“cases”). Comparing the prevalence of tattoos between cases and controls (people without lymphoma), scientists have discovered that 21% of cases had a tattoo, compared to 18% of controls.
The role of inflammation
How can a pattern on your skin affect your cancer risk? According to the authors of the study, the key may lie in the inflammatory response triggered by tattoos. When ink is injected into the skin, the body lo recognizes how a foreign body and activates the immune system. Much of the ink is then carried away from the skin and deposited in the lymph nodes.
This inflammatory reaction, even if low grade, could be sufficient to trigger the carcinogenesis process. Previous studies had already shown that tattoo ink particles, and even metal nanoparticles from the needle, can migrate to the lymph nodes. This migration could explain why the risk of lymphoma increases regardless of the size of the tattoo: even a small design is enough to unleash one immune response.
Public health implications
La discovery of a possible link between Tattoos and lymphoma raise important public health issues. With approximately 2 billion people worldwide having at least one tattoo, and many having more than one, the potential impact of this risk factor cannot be underestimated. However, the study authors are cautious about drawing definitive conclusions.
The findings now need to be verified and explored in further studies, and such research is ongoing. We also need to examine whether there is a link between tattoos and other types of cancer, as well as inflammatory diseases.
Christel Nielsen, associate professor of epidemiology at Lund University and first author of the study.
Meanwhile, Nielsen offers some advice for those who love tattoos: “It is likely that people will want to continue to express their identity through tattoos, and it is therefore very important that we like company we can guarantee that it is safe. For the individual, it is good to know that tattoos can affect your health, and that you should contact your doctor if you experience symptoms that you believe may be related to the tattoo."
Lymphoma and tattoos, caution and attention
The Swedish study opens a new perspective on the potential health risks associated with tattoos. Although (I want to underline this again once) further research is needed to confirm and deepen these findings, they represent an important wake-up call for the millions of people who have or want a tattoo.
More than discouraging the practice of tattooing itself, these data should stimulate greater awareness and attention to safety. Future studies will need to investigate whether factors such as the type of ink, tattoo technique, or area of the body tattooed influence the risk of lymphoma. It will also be important to understand whether there are groups of people who are particularly susceptible to the inflammatory effects of tattoos. Meanwhile, the health authorities and Tattoo professionals should collaborate to develop guidelines and regulations that minimize risks to customers. This could include stricter standards for the production and use of tattoo ink, tighter safety protocols for tattoo studios, and public information campaigns about potential health risks.
I am sure that, armed with this new awareness, we will be able to appreciate even more the beauty and meaning of these indelible marks on our skin, as we work to make them as safe as possible.
