Recent research suggests that tattoos could increase the risk of lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, by approximately 20%.
According to the Daily Mail, a research team from Lund University in Sweden surveyed the presence of tattoos and lifestyle habits among 11,905 participants. Results showed that participants with tattoos had about a 21% higher risk of developing lymphoma than those without.
This conclusion is likely drawn from the fact that carcinogenic chemicals are found in tattoo ink. The research team explained that most of the tattoo ink is transported from the skin to the lymph nodes, where it settles, increasing the risk of cancer.
Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that arises when lymphocytes, a white blood cell, become malignant. Co-author Christel Nielsen expressed concern that while people will continue to get tattoos as a form of self-expression, society must prioritize their safety. Nielsen advised that individuals who experience symptoms potentially related to tattoos should seek advice from medical professionals.
The research team further speculated that there may be no correlation between the size of the tattoo and the likelihood of developing cancer, suggesting that “One can only speculate that a tattoo, regardless of size, triggers a low-grade inflammation in the body, which in turn can trigger cancer.”
The team plans to investigate the relationship between tattoos, other types of cancer, and other inflammatory diseases.
The results of this study were recently published in the clinical medicine journal.
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