--- title: "New Research Links Tattoos to Developing Cancer" description: "New research suggests that there may be a link between tattoos and cancer. But the findings have proved controversial." date: "2024-06-13" modified: "2024-06-13" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/tattoos-links-developing-cancer" categories: - "Cancer" - "Health & Medicine" - "Medical" tags: - "cancer" - "lymphoma" - "tattoos" --- # New Research Links Tattoos to Developing Cancer ![New research suggests that there may be a link between tattoos and cancer. But the findings have proved controversial.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* New research suggests that there may be a link between [tattoos]() and cancer. But the findings have proved controversial, with experts pushing back against the authors' conclusions, which they characterize as exaggerated. The [study](), published last month in the journal *eClinicalMedicine*, surveyed close to 12,000 people in Sweden, examining every subject 20 to 60 years old that was diagnosed with a form of cancer called lymphoma between 2007 and 2017. When compared to a control group of random people who never had lymphoma, the researchers found that people that had at least one tattoo were 21 percent more likely to have developed the cancer. The study only demonstrates that there's an association, not a definitive link. Still, 21 percent would constitute a pretty significant risk, especially for a form of cancer that's considered somewhat rare. What's more, it appears that the number or size of tattoos the subjects had didn't matter: so long as they had at least one tattoo of any size, they were seemingly at risk as much as someone who had multiple. "We do not yet know why this was the case. One can only speculate that a tattoo, regardless of size, triggers a low-grade inflammation in the body, which in turn can trigger cancer," co-author Christel Nielsen, an associate professor in the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Lund University, said in a [statement]() about the work "The picture is thus more complex than we initially thought." Many experts, however, are skeptical that there's even an association, let alone a link. "If I were writing that paper, if I were the editor, I would have said the conclusion is, there is no evidence for a strong association," Timothy Rebbeck, an epidemiologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, [told *CNN*](), calling the findings "overstated." Lymphoma causes infection-fighting white blood cells in the lymph system, a network of organs and vessels that form a critical part of the body's immune response, to divide uncontrollably. The problem with identifying a link — or even just an association — with the cancer is that scientists don't actually know what causes it. And according to Rebbeck, lymphoma's main risk factors aren't found in tattooing, either. Due to the limited nature of the study, it's also unclear if there's other lifestyle factors at play that could explain the uptick in lymphoma among the tattoo recipients. Obvious cancer risks like smoking and age were controlled for, but there could be other factors at play that aren't being addressed here. That isn't to exonerate tattooing completely. Any practice that draws blood is bound to come with its health and hygiene risks, and there's some fears that certain forms of tattoo ink [may contain possible carcinogens](). But by and large, tattooing is considered safe. So as long as you trust your artist, you should be alright. "I don't believe that anybody who has a tattoo should freak out right now," Erwin Grussie, a hematologist and oncologist at Providence St. Joseph's Medical Center, [told *ACB7*](). "I don't think it means somebody who has a tattoo will develop lymphoma. We should wait for more data." **More on cancer:** *[Thousands of Patients to Be Given World's First Cancer Vaccine]()* ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()