Tattoos may increase the risk of developing lymphoma and skin cancer, a recent study suggests.
"We can see that ink particles accumulate in the lymph nodes, and we suspect that the body perceives them as foreign substances," Henrik Frederiksen, a professor at Southern Denmark University who helped run the study, said in a release. "This may mean that the immune system is constantly trying to respond to the ink, and we do not yet know whether this persistent strain could weaken the function of the lymph nodes or have other health consequences."
Frederiksen and his team conducted the study, because there is a lack of research into possible links between cancer and tattoo ink and because tattoos have been growing in popularity, he said. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found nearly 1 in 3 U.S. adults have a tattoo – and more than 20% have more than one. According to another study, tattoo prevalence in the U.S. population has risen significantly from 21% in 2012 to 30% in 2019.
Using data from more than 5,900 Danish twins, the study, published Jan. 15, found tattoos may increase the risk of skin cancer by 33% to 62%. Tattoos bigger than the palm of a hand put people at more than double the risk of skin cancer and nearly triple the risk of lymphoma, cancer of the lymph nodes, according to the study.
"This suggests that the bigger the tattoo and the longer it has been there, the more ink accumulates in the lymph nodes," Signe Bedsted Clemmensen, assistant professor of biostatistics at Southern Denmark University, said in a release. "The extent of the impact on the immune system should be further investigated so that we can better understand the mechanisms at play."
But the study had limitations, including a lack of information about sun exposure among people who participated in the research. Also, having a tattoo, especially among adolescents, has been suggested as an indicator of a riskier lifestyle – associated with smoking and drinking – both of which increase cancer risk, the researchers said.
Another study from 2024 similarly found an association between tattoos and malignant lymphoma. But it did not establish a direct causal link, and other factors that may be common among people who have tattoos could account for the higher lymphoma risk, Dr. Robert H. Shmerling wrote in a 2024 editorial for Harvard Health.
More research is needed into possible links between tattoos and cancer, he said, adding that there are "more important health concerns to worry about and much better ways for all of us to reduce cancer risk."