Read Time: 4 minutes
Takeaways:
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People with multiple tattoo sessions may have a lower risk of melanoma, but the reason for this is unclear.
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More studies are needed, and tattoos should not be seen as protection against melanoma.
Impact: Tattoos have grown in popularity, and the need to understand how they might affect cancer risk is increasingly important.
People with more than one tattoo session may have a decreased risk of the skin cancer melanoma鈥攚ith one key caveat, according to research from Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah (the U).
A team led by , Huntsman Cancer Institute investigator, co-leader of the , and professor of population health sciences at the U, evaluated 7,000 Utahns and found that having 2 or more tattoo sessions decreased the risk of both invasive and in situ melanoma. In situ melanoma means the cancer cells remain on the skin鈥檚 surface and are more easily removed.
But the researchers also found that participants with only one tattoo session were more likely to have melanoma, especially in situ. The reasons why that may be the case are speculative, and more research is needed to understand this disparate pattern.
鈥淭attoos are increasingly common, and it鈥檚 an understudied form of environmental exposure, especially in young people. We really need to understand how tattoos could impact risk for different types of cancer,鈥 says Doherty. 鈥淔or melanoma, the results seem to be mixed. But we see people with two, three, and four tattoo sessions having decreasing risk, and that鈥檚 a stronger pattern than the increased risk with just one session.鈥
According to , a third of American adults have tattoos. Around 41% of Americans under 30 have at least 1, as do 46% of people between the ages of 30 to 49.
鈥淲e really need to understand how tattoos could impact risk for different types of cancer.鈥
Jennifer Doherty, PhD, MS
Doherty says that her research team originally hypothesized that having more tattoos would increase melanoma risk due to the carcinogens鈥攍ike metals and other chemicals鈥攆ound in tattoo ink. Additionally, the ink in a person鈥檚 skin can break down over time and create new carcinogens that weren鈥檛 originally in the tattoo. Tattoos can also cause inflammatory responses, and inflammation is often associated with cancer risk.
鈥淭he results that tattoos could decrease melanoma risk surprised us. But this isn鈥檛 a black and white case of 鈥榞et more tattoos, and you could lower your risk of melanoma,鈥欌 says , former doctoral student at Huntsman Cancer Institute, current post-doctoral scientist at the , and first author of the study. 鈥淚nstead, 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.鈥
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 a black and white case of 鈥榞et more tattoos, and you could lower your risk of melanoma.'鈥
Rachel McCarty, PhD
It may be that those with several tattoo sessions are more cautious with sun safety and take better care of their skin. Tattoos could also form a physical barrier that blocks ultraviolet radiation or cause an immune response against precancerous cells, the researchers say.
McCarty says those with tattoos should continue making informed decisions about skin protection.
鈥淭attoo artists already advise their clients to wear sunscreen and sun protection to prevent tattoos from fading,鈥 says McCarty. 鈥We know wearing sunscreen is an important safety step for everyone, even without tattoos. But it鈥檚 also important for those with tattoos to take extra precautions to prevent any additional harmful components from forming in the skin when pigments break down from UV exposure.鈥
鈥淏etter understanding risk factors for melanoma will help us improve prevention strategies across the region.鈥
Douglas Grossman, MD, PhD
While this study revealed a decreased melanoma risk for those with tattoos, that may not be true for other types of cancer. An from Doherty鈥檚 team and a Swedish study both suggest that tattooing could be connected to an increased risk of certain blood cancers.
Still, the melanoma study鈥攚hose results were published in the 鈥攊s a promising step forward in understanding how tattoos can impact skin cancer risk.
鈥淭he Mountain West and the area we serve have some of the highest melanoma rates in the country,鈥 says Douglas Grossman, MD, PhD, co-leader of the at Huntsman Cancer Institute, professor of dermatology at the U, and co-author of the paper. 鈥淏etter understanding risk factors for melanoma will help us improve prevention strategies across the region, advise our patients about risks more accurately, and ultimately save lives.鈥
The critical research happening every day at Huntsman Cancer Institute is supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute, including cancer center support grant P30 CA042014, as well as Huntsman Cancer Foundation.
Media Contact
Heather Simonsen
Public Affairs Senior Manager
Huntsman Cancer Institute
801 581-3194
public.affairs@hci.utah.edu
About Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the is the National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming. With a legacy of innovative cancer research, groundbreaking discoveries, and world-class patient care, we are transforming the way cancer is understood, prevented, diagnosed, treated, and survived. Huntsman Cancer Institute focuses on delivering the most advanced cancer healing and prevention through scientific breakthroughs and cutting-edge technology to create pioneering cancer treatments beyond the standard of care today. We have more than 325 open clinical trials and 276 research teams studying cancer. More genes for inherited cancers have been discovered at Huntsman Cancer Institute than at any other cancer center. Our scientists are world-renowned for understanding how cancer begins and using that knowledge to develop innovative approaches to treat each patient鈥檚 unique disease. Huntsman Cancer Institute was founded by Jon M. and Karen Huntsman.