Study Challenges Assumptions About Tattoos and Cancer risk
Salt Lake City, UT – A new study from the University of Utah‘s Huntsman Cancer Institute has yielded surprising results regarding the relationship between tattoos and melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Contrary to expectations, researchers found that individuals with multiple tattoos may actually have a lower associated risk of developing the disease. The findings, published recently, add a new layer of complexity to ongoing research into potential links between body art and cancer.
The study, conducted between January 2020 and June 2021, involved analyzing data from cancer registries and surveying 1,167 melanoma cases in Utah. Researchers compared these cases to a control group, matched for age, ethnicity, and other factors, using data from a representative state health department survey.
While previous research, including a Danish study, hypothesized a correlation between increased tattoo count and higher cancer risk, the Utah team observed the opposite. Individuals with two or more tattoos demonstrated a lower risk of both invasive and in situ melanoma. This reduced risk was most pronounced in those with four or more tattoos,and those with three or more large tattoos.
However, researchers caution against interpreting the results as a preventative benefit of tattooing. They attribute the lower observed risk to “unmeasured confounding,” suggesting other factors common among heavily tattooed individuals may be at play. These could include increased vigilance regarding skin care, such as more frequent sunscreen use or sun avoidance.
“This isn’t a black and white case of ‘get more tattoos, and you could lower your risk of melanoma,'” explained Rachel McCarty, former doctoral student at the Huntsman Cancer Institute and lead study author, in a statement.”Instead, we need to do more research to understand what we are seeing and if this decreased risk is simply due to behavioral or physical factors, or if there could be beneficial immune responses associated with tattooing which lower melanoma risk.”
Interestingly, the study did note a small increased risk of skin cancer associated with having only one tattoo, further complicating the picture.
This latest research joins other recent studies exploring tattoo-related health concerns. One recent study, for example, found no link between tattoos and hematologic malignancies like lymphoma.For now, the scientific community remains cautious, and further investigation is needed to fully understand the complex interplay between tattoos, the immune system, and cancer risk.
