Tattoos may increase the risk of cancer by 21%, according to a recent study conducted by scientists at Lund University in Sweden. This occurs at a time when tattoos have become more popular globally than they were a few decades ago. Tattoos are becoming increasingly socially accepted, with various people sporting them, particularly in the entertainment industry.
The study, published in eClinicalMedicine, discovered that tattooed people have a 21% higher risk of lymphoma than those who do not have tattoos. Lymphoma is a malignancy of the lymphatic system, which is an important network in the immune system that combats infection.
According to the research, the problem is with possibly carcinogenic compounds found in some tattoo inks. When injected, the body recognises them as alien, resulting in a low-grade inflammation that may contribute to cancer formation. The study comprised 11,905 patients, 2,938 of whom had lymphoma and were aged 20 to 60.
They were then given a questionnaire on lifestyle characteristics to determine whether they had tattoos or not. The questionnaire was completed by 1,398 respondents, while the control group was made up of 4,193. In the lymphoma group, 21% were tattooed (289 individuals), while 18% were tattooed in the control group without a lymphoma diagnosis (735 persons).
“After accounting for other relevant factors such as smoking and age, we discovered that those who were tattooed had a 21% higher risk of developing lymphoma,” said Christel Nielsen, the study’s lead researcher. “It’s crucial to note that lymphoma is a rare disease, and our findings only apply to the group level.
The findings must now be validated and examined further in further investigations, which are now underway.” “We don’t yet know why this happened. One can only surmise that any size tattoo causes low-grade inflammation in the body, which can lead to cancer. As a result, the picture is more complex than we had anticipated,” Nielsen said.
Tattoos
The researchers will investigate the potential link between tattoos and cancer and inflammatory diseases. “People will likely want to continue to express their identity through tattoos, and therefore it is very important that we as a society can make sure that it is safe,” he added. “For the individual, it is good to know that tattoos can affect your health, and that you should turn to your health care provider if you experience these sign.
Source: guardian.ng
