Several studies have found an association between tattoos and an increased risk of cancer, and recent evidence seems to suggest that tattoos may specifically increase the risk of blood cancer. What is the biological mechanism that explains this association, and should you really be worried about the health effects of getting a tattoo? In this podcast episode, we take a deep dive into the latest evidence.
Tattoos are an amazingly beautiful art form that is becoming more and more popular. Pew Research Center survey According to a survey conducted in 2023, 32% of Americans have at least one tattoo, and 22% have multiple tattoos.
Tattoos are not only a permanent way to adorn the body, but they can also be a meaningful way to commemorate important events in life and symbolize spiritual and emotional healing.
However, questions remain about the health effects of having a tattoo, and recently researchers have focused on how getting a tattoo may affect a person’s physical health in the long term.
One study ASM Journal In early July 2024, a study tested 75 samples of tattoo and permanent makeup inks commonly used in the United States and found that 26 of them were contaminated with infection-causing bacteria.
These include
What’s even more worrying is that the study The study was published in the journal Lund University in Sweden. Clinical Medicine They found that having a tattoo, regardless of size, was linked to a 21% higher risk of dying in the previous month. LymphomaA type of blood cancer.
To identify this association, researchers from Lund University reviewed data from the Swedish National Cancer Registry, focusing on people who were diagnosed with lymphoma between 2007 and 2017 and who were aged between 20 and 60 years old.
But what does this association actually mean? Why do tattoos increase the risk of blood cancer? Do some types of tattoos pose a higher risk than others? If so, why?
Finally, how worried should people with tattoos be about getting cancer, and what should they keep in mind when considering whether to get a tattoo?
To explore these and other questions, Today’s Medical News Editors and co-hosts Maria Kohat and Yasemin Nicola Sakai were invited to Dr. Milena ForsterA researcher who specializes in the relationship between tattoos and cancer In conversation Podcast episode.
Forster works at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France.
In this episode, another MNT Editor Andrea Rice spoke about her own relationship with tattoos, questions about the health risks associated with tattoos, and the potential limitations of research investigating the association.
Listen to the full podcast episode below or on your preferred streaming platform.
