Tattoos tied to higher lymphoma risk, research shows
Global News
Researchers from Sweden have found a link between tattoo exposure and malignant lymphoma risk, but note the findings are limited and more research on the topic is needed.
The allure of tattoos has captured the imagination of many, but a new study raises concerns about their potential health impact.
Researchers from Sweden have found a possible link between tattoo exposure and malignant lymphoma risk, but note the findings are limited and more research on the topic is needed.
The study, published May 21 in the Lancet’s eClinicalMedicine, stated that current knowledge on the long-term health effects of tattoos is limited. To address this gap, the researchers set out to explore the potential health impacts of tattooing, noting that not many studies have looked into this before.
This is because tattoo ink often contains carcinogenic chemicals, such as primary aromatic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and metals. A significant and concerning number of chemicals in tattoo ink are classified as carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The study found that tattooed individuals have a 21 per cent increased risk of lymphoma relative to people who do not have tattoos.
“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,” lead author Christel Nielsen, an epidemiology researcher at Lund University in Sweden, said in a media release published Monday. “A large part of the ink is transported away from the skin, to the lymph nodes where it is deposited.”
Lymphoma is a type of cancer originating from immune system cells, encompassing both Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. There are also many other subtypes, each varying in severity, prognosis and treatment options, according to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLC).
The latest data from the LLC shows that in 2020 there were an estimated 11,400 new lymphoma cases in Canada.
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