Is there a link between tattoos and lymphoma?

A new study from Sweden found that tattooed individuals had a 21% higher risk of getting a type of cancer called lymphoma compared with non-tattooed individuals. The authors of the study stressed the need for additional research to establish causality, since association does not necessarily mean causation, and hoped regulatory measures can be put in place to control the chemical composition of tattoo ink and minimize the risk of lymphoma in persons who choose to get tattooed in the future.

Reference:

Nielsen C, Jerkeman M, and Jöuda AD. Tattoos as a risk factor for malignant lymphoma: a population-based case–control study.

eClinicalMedicine 2024;72: 102649