Is tattooing associated with an increased risk of cancer? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Gabriel Caruso Novaes Tudella, Maria Luiza Rodrigues Defante, Pedro Sandes Pereira et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed whether tattoo exposure was associated with skin cancer or hematological malignancies in adults, pooling seven observational studies with 140,841 participants. Tattooing was not significantly associated with overall skin cancer (OR 0.92; 95%CI 0.83-1.04) or hematological malignancies (OR 1.02; 95%CI 0.78-1.32) in the primary analyses. Excluding one influential study produced a significant association for hematological malignancies (OR 1.20; 95%CI 1.05-1.39), but the authors advise cautious interpretation and further prospective investigation.
Key findings
- Overall skin cancer was not significantly associated with tattoo exposure (OR 0.92; 95%CI 0.83-1.04; I 2 = 0%; p = 0.179).
- The pooled association with hematological malignancies was not significant (OR 1.02; 95%CI 0.78-1.32; I 2 = 64.9%; p = 0.910).
- After excluding one influential study, hematological malignancies showed a significant association (OR 1.20; 95%CI 1.05-1.39; I 2 = 0%).
- Certainty of evidence ranged from low to moderate.
Why it matters
Tattoo inks and pigment migration have raised concerns about cancer risk, but this synthesis found no significant association in its primary analyses for either cancer outcome. The sensitivity result for hematological malignancies shows that conclusions may depend on individual studies, so the evidence does not settle the question and should be interpreted with attention to its uncertainty.
What to keep in mind
The evidence came from observational studies, and certainty ranged from low to moderate. The hematological malignancy result changed to statistically significant after exclusion of one influential study; heterogeneity was substantial in some analyses.