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Tattoos and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma : a population-based case-control study

Liljedahl, Emelie Rietz LU ; Engfeldt, Malin LU ; Nielsen, Kari LU orcid ; Jöud, Anna LU orcid and Nielsen, Christel LU orcid (2025) In European Journal of Epidemiology
Abstract

The prevalence of tattoos in western countries is about 20%. Tattoo ink may contain carcinogenic compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate if tattoo exposure is associated with an increased risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in individuals. In this population-based case-control study, 2857 cases aged 20 to 60 years, diagnosed between 2014 and 2017, were identified in the Swedish Cancer Registry. Statistics Sweden identified 3 random age- and sex-matched controls per case from the Swedish Total Population Register using incidence-density sampling. In 2019, participants answered a questionnaire regarding lifestyle factors, including tattoos and sun habits. We used logistic regression to investigate if tattoo exposure was... (More)

The prevalence of tattoos in western countries is about 20%. Tattoo ink may contain carcinogenic compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate if tattoo exposure is associated with an increased risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in individuals. In this population-based case-control study, 2857 cases aged 20 to 60 years, diagnosed between 2014 and 2017, were identified in the Swedish Cancer Registry. Statistics Sweden identified 3 random age- and sex-matched controls per case from the Swedish Total Population Register using incidence-density sampling. In 2019, participants answered a questionnaire regarding lifestyle factors, including tattoos and sun habits. We used logistic regression to investigate if tattoo exposure was associated with the relative risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. 61% of the cases and 53% of the controls replied to the questionnaire. Among the 1600 cases and the 4551 controls that participated, 15.1% and 17.6% had at least one tattoo before the index date. We found no increased risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in tattooed compared with non-tattooed individuals (incidence rate ratio, 0.95; 95% confidence interval, 0.78–1.15). Tattoo exposure was not associated with the risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in this first study of the association. However, more epidemiologic studies are needed before consensus regarding a lack of association can be reached.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
Health risks, Keratinocyte cancer, Lifestyle factors, Non-melanoma skin cancer, Risk factors, Tattoo
in
European Journal of Epidemiology
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:105003716057
  • pmid:40278967
ISSN
0393-2990
DOI
10.1007/s10654-025-01230-z
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2025.
id
92316688-c943-4f1a-8603-f3e67a10cc69
date added to LUP
2025-05-12 11:05:36
date last changed
2025-06-09 14:02:28
@article{92316688-c943-4f1a-8603-f3e67a10cc69,
  abstract     = {{<p>The prevalence of tattoos in western countries is about 20%. Tattoo ink may contain carcinogenic compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate if tattoo exposure is associated with an increased risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in individuals. In this population-based case-control study, 2857 cases aged 20 to 60 years, diagnosed between 2014 and 2017, were identified in the Swedish Cancer Registry. Statistics Sweden identified 3 random age- and sex-matched controls per case from the Swedish Total Population Register using incidence-density sampling. In 2019, participants answered a questionnaire regarding lifestyle factors, including tattoos and sun habits. We used logistic regression to investigate if tattoo exposure was associated with the relative risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. 61% of the cases and 53% of the controls replied to the questionnaire. Among the 1600 cases and the 4551 controls that participated, 15.1% and 17.6% had at least one tattoo before the index date. We found no increased risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in tattooed compared with non-tattooed individuals (incidence rate ratio, 0.95; 95% confidence interval, 0.78–1.15). Tattoo exposure was not associated with the risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in this first study of the association. However, more epidemiologic studies are needed before consensus regarding a lack of association can be reached.</p>}},
  author       = {{Liljedahl, Emelie Rietz and Engfeldt, Malin and Nielsen, Kari and Jöud, Anna and Nielsen, Christel}},
  issn         = {{0393-2990}},
  keywords     = {{Health risks; Keratinocyte cancer; Lifestyle factors; Non-melanoma skin cancer; Risk factors; Tattoo}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Epidemiology}},
  title        = {{Tattoos and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma : a population-based case-control study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10654-025-01230-z}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10654-025-01230-z}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}