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According to a new Swedish study, people with tattoos share an increased risk of developing a particular cancer. Although this conclusion remains to be verified, it highlights a hitherto unsuspected threat.
In France as elsewhere, tattoos have become common: they adorn the arms, wrists, backs of millions of French people, in various artistic styles. But according to a new study, they are curiously linked to the risk of developing lymphoma.
Greater risk of lymphoma among tattoo wearers
Scientists from Lund University in Sweden wanted to study the links between tattoos and cancer. To get a clearer idea, they analyzed the health data of nearly 12,000 Swedes, 3,000 of whom revealed they had been diagnosed with lymphoma (malignant tumors of the lymphatic system). The health data of people with lymphoma were compared to those of a control group”of the same sex and age, but without lymphoma” and all answered a lifestyle questionnaire on whether or not they were tattooed.
With a numerical verdict: “The risk of developing lymphoma was 21% higher in people with tattoos.reveals the study which maintains that the result nevertheless “taking into account other relevant factors, such as smoking and age”. More specifically, certain types of lymphoma were particularly present in people with tattoos: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma. On the other hand, the amount of tattooing on the body does not seem to have an impact.
A reaction to inflammation?
The study, however, does not say why this is so. But make assumptions. “It can only be assumed that a tattoo, regardless of its size, triggers low-level inflammation in the body, which in turn can trigger cancer. supposes Christel Nielsen, author of the study. His reasoning follows the facts already known:
“We already know that when tattoo ink is injected into the skin, the body interprets it as something foreign that should not be there and the immune system is activated. Much of the ink is transported out of the skin to the lymph nodes where it is deposited..
An ink that sometimes contains carcinogenic chemicals, recall the authors of the study.
But something to check
The study, however, recalls that “Current knowledge about the long-term health effects of tattoos is currently insufficient. and that therefore, the results discovered here must now be verified and clarified.
The team now plans to expand its research into the links between tattooing and other types of cancer. But the earlier the better, as the tattoo trend is gaining popularity from the end of adolescence. The act should also not be taken lightly:
“For the individual, it is good to know that tattoos can affect their health and that they should speak to their health care provider if they experience any symptoms that they think may be related to their tattoo”concludes Christel Nielsen.
The popularity of tattoos has exploded in recent decades, but the risks associated with tattoo ink remain largely understudied. Inks often contain potentially carcinogenic chemicals. Lund’s study is an important step toward better understanding these risks, but there is still much to discover.