Tattoo Ink Linked to Increase in Blood Cancer Risk, New Study Finds

A new study suggests tattoo ink may trigger an inflammatory reaction that contributes to the development of lymphoma.

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that starts in the white blood cells, which are part of the body's immune system.

Researchers reviewed questionnaires filled out by thousands of adults, including 14 hundred who were diagnosed with the disease between 20 and 60 years old.

They found tattooed participants were 21% more likely to develop lymphoma, and it didn’t matter whether the tattoo was large or small.

The lead author says, “One can only speculate that a tattoo, regardless of size, triggers a low-grade inflammation in the body, which in turn can trigger cancer.”

She says previous investigations have shown the body treats tattoo ink as a foreign invader and a large part of the ink is transported away from the skin to the lymph nodes.

Future research will explore whether tattoo ink may be linked to other forms of cancer.

Source: eClinical Medicine