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. 2020 May;31(3):448-450.
doi: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000001179.

Cosmetic Tattooing and Early Onset Basal Cell Carcinoma: A Population-based Case-Control Study from New Hampshire

Dorothea Torti Barton  1 , Michael S Zens  2 , Eleni L Marmarelis  3 , Diane Gilbert-Diamond  2   4 , Margaret R Karagas  2   4
Affiliations

Cosmetic Tattooing and Early Onset Basal Cell Carcinoma: A Population-based Case-Control Study from New Hampshire

Dorothea Torti Barton et al. Epidemiology. 2020 May.

Abstract

Background: Cosmetic tattoos use dyes with carcinogenic potential. Skin cancers arising in tattoos have been reported.

Methods: We investigated whether risk of early onset basal cell carcinoma was related to the site and colors of cosmetic tattoos as part of a population-based case-control study of cases (ages 25-50 years), identified from a state-wide surveillance system, and age- and gender-matched controls, selected from driver's license records, randomly assigned an anatomic site of the cases.

Results: One hundred fifty-six cases (17%) with early onset basal cell carcinoma and 213 controls (26%) reported cosmetic tattoos. Among those with tattoos, the adjusted odds ratio of basal cell carcinoma at the tattoo site compared to another site was 1.8 (95% confidence interval = 1.0, 3.2). We observed the strongest associations for yellow and green tattoo colors.

Conclusion: Our preliminary findings support the possibility of an enhanced risk of early onset basal cell carcinomas at the site of cosmetic tattoos.

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Comment in

  • The Authors Respond.
    Karagas MR, Barton D, Zens MS, Gilbert-Diamond D, Marmarelis EL. Karagas MR, et al. Epidemiology. 2020 Sep;31(5):e39-e40. doi: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000001205. Epidemiology. 2020. PMID: 32366753 No abstract available.
  • Re: "Cosmetic Tattooing and Early Onset Basal Cell Carcinoma:
    Kluger N, Dub T. Kluger N, et al. Epidemiology. 2020 Sep;31(5):e39. doi: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000001206. Epidemiology. 2020. PMID: 32740473 No abstract available.

References

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    1. Barton DT, Zens MS, Nelson HH, et al. Distinct histologic subtypes and risk factors for early onset basal cell carcinoma: a population-based case control study from New Hampshire. J Invest Dermatol. 2016;136:533–535.
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