Cancer diagnosis warning over tattoos issued by doctor

A dermatologist has issued a warning to tattoo enthusiasts, claiming that ink can have an adverse effect on cancer diagnosis

A dermatologist has highlighted a potential issue with tattoos that could hinder a cancer diagnosis. Dr Ana Molina of the Jimenez Diaz Foundation took to social media to share her insights, urging tattoo enthusiasts to be mindful of one particular aspect.

"What they can do is interfere with cancer diagnosis, especially skin cancer. Imagine a blackout tattoo," she said in a recent post. "Do you know them? A whole black or negative tattoo, where the drawing is the part they do not tattoo—the white part, isn't it?

"Well, if you get melanoma there, I won't be able to diagnose it. In other words, you can't see anything; it's a sea of black ink. The same if you get a tattoo on top of moles, so we always recommend that tattoo artists leave some distance between the tattoo and your moles.

"Additionally, we know that your body reabsorbs all that ink. It's true that when I've removed lymph nodes from patients with melanoma to study them, I've seen black blotches in the lymph node and thought, 'Ah, melanoma metastasis?'. But then you study it, and, thank goodness, we have very advanced techniques now, then you see that it's not melanoma - it's just ink."

Dr Molina's insights are particularly timely given the recent surge in research examining the potential links between tattoos and cancer. One such study, published last month by the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), investigated the long-term effects of ink injection.

Scientists claimed that individuals with tattoos, particularly those larger than the palm of a hand, may face increased risks of skin and lymphoma cancers. The authors wrote: "For skin cancer and lymphoma, increased hazards were found for tattoos larger than the palm of a hand.

"[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, small but crucial immune system components, help combat infections and other harmful agents. Experts believe that when tattoo ink infiltrates the skin, it could lead to 'chronic inflammation' of the lymph nodes.

This inflammation might lead to abnormal cell growth and elevate cancer risks 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 researchers point out, there remains a significant degree of uncertainty surrounding these trends and the precise processes involved. The scientists now aim to delve into the effects of ink particles at a 'molecular level' and explore the connection between specific tattoo types 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."