A new study found that people who have tattoos have a higher risk of being diagnosed with skin and lymphoma cancers compared to those without tattoos. Researchers from the Department of Public Health and the Department of Clinical Research at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), together with the University of Helsinki analysed the health consequences of tattoo ink.
The researchers found that the ink that is injected on the skin for tattoos does not just remain where it is injected, instead, it migrates to the lymph nodes and accumulates there. The lymph nodes are an important part of the immune system and it helps to fight infections and remove harmful substances from the body.
When the tattoo ink accumulates in the lymph nodes, it can trigger chronic inflammation. Researchers say that over time this can lead to abnormal cell growth and increase the risk of cancer.
For the study, the researchers analysed data from two complementary studies - a case-control study of 316 twins and a cohort study of 2,367 randomly selected twins born between 1960 and 1996. The study also analysed the genetic and environmental factors that can affect the health outcomes of tattoos.
The researchers found that there was a prevalence of tattoos in cancer patients in the twins study wherein one had cancer and the other didn't. They also found that there was a 62% higher risk of skin cancer among tattooed people.
The researchers also said that the size of the tattoo played a significant role in cancer risk. The larger the size of the tattoo, higher was the risk of cancer.
Signe Bedsted Clemmensen, University of Southern Denmark and study lead said, "This suggests that the bigger the tattoo and the longer it has been there, the more ink accumulates in the lymph nodes. The extent of the impact on the immune system should be further investigated so that we can better understand the mechanisms at play."
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