The Lancet

Tattoos are increasingly common—Should we be worried about malignant lymphoma risks?

May 28, 2024

Tattoo exposure was linked to a 21% increased risk of malignant lymphoma compared with non-tattooed individuals in this Swedish registry case-control study. Larger body surface area of tattooing didn’t seem to be associated with further increased risk.

• The study (N=11,905) examined incident malignant lymphoma diagnosed 2007-2017 in patients 20-60 years old in the Swedish National Cancer Register who were matched with age- and sex-matched controls in the Total Population Register.
• Tattoo exposure was assessed through surveys: 21% of lymphoma patients and 18% of control had undergone tattooing.
• Commonly observed lymphoma subtypes included diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Hodgkin’s, and follicular lymphoma.

Source:

Nielsen C, et al. (2024, May 21). eClinicalMedicine. The Lancet Discovery Science. 2024; 72: 102649. © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Tattoos as a risk factor for malignant lymphoma: a population-based case-control study. Open Access. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(24)00228-1/fulltext