Scientists say tattoos could increase risk of two forms of cancer (2025)

Tattoos may be linked to an increased risk of developing cancer, scientists have claimed.

They say that a small portion of injected ink may travel through the body, ending up in the lymph nodes. New research, led by the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), looked into whether this could have long-term health implications.

By analysing data from thousands of twins, they discovered that people with tattoos were more likely to have skin and lymphoma cancers compared to those without ink. "For skin cancer and lymphoma, increased hazards were found for tattoos larger than the palm of a hand," the authors wrote.

"[Our] study suggests an increased hazard of lymphoma and skin cancers among tattooed individuals, demonstrated through two designs: a twin cohort and a case-cotwin study. We are concerned that tattoo ink interacting with surrounding cells may have severe consequences. Studies that pinpoint the etiological pathway of tattoo ink-induced carcinogenesis are recommended to benefit public health."

Lymph nodes are small structures that play a big part in the body's immune system, helping to combat infections and other potentially harmful substances. Experts believe that when tattoo ink penetrates the skin it could cause 'chronic inflammation' of the lymph nodes, reports the Daily Record.

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This factor is what may give rise to abnormal cell growth, increasing the risk of cancer over time. "We can see that ink particles accumulate in the lymph nodes, and we suspect that the body perceives them as foreign substances," said Professor Henrik Frederiksen of SDU.

The university's explanation adds: "This may mean that the immune system is constantly trying to respond to the ink, and we do not yet know whether this persistent strain could weaken the function of the lymph nodes or have other health consequences. Studying this link is challenging because cancer can take years to develop. This means that exposure in youth may not lead to illness until decades later, making it difficult to measure a direct effect."

As the scientists suggest, there is still much uncertainty surrounding this research and the specific mechanisms at play. Scientists now plan to investigate the impact of ink particles at a 'molecular level' and the relationship between specific types of tattoo and cancer.

Professor Signe Bedsted Clemmensen added: "In our study, we do not see a clear link between cancer occurrence and specific ink colours, but this does not mean that colour is irrelevant. We know from other studies that ink can contain potentially harmful substances, and for example, red ink more often causes allergic reactions. This is an area we would like to explore further.

"We want to gain a better understanding of the biological mechanisms — what happens in the lymph nodes when they are exposed to ink particles over decades? This can help us assess whether there is a real health risk and what we might do to reduce it."

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