Francesco Ricci1, Andrea Paradisi2, Stephanie Alissa Maier3, Maximilian Kovacs3, Maurizio Podda3, Ketty Peris4, Damiano Abeni5. 1. Day Surgery Unit, IDI-IRCCS - FLMM, Rome, Italy, Hautklinik, Klinikum Darmstadt GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany. 2. Dermatology Unit, "Cristo Re" General Hospital, Rome, Italy. 3. Hautklinik, Klinikum Darmstadt GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany. 4. Institute of Dermatology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. 5. Clinical epidemiology Unit, IDI-IRCCS - FLMM, Rome, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Malignant melanoma cases arising in tattoos have been increasingly described, however, there is no clear relationship between this practice and the development of cutaneous malignancies. OBJECTIVES: We report a new case of melanoma in a dark-blue tattoo and we review all cases of melanoma reported in the medical literature from 1938 to date. MATERIALS & METHODS: Pubmed and Google Scholar were searched using the terms "melanoma tattoo", "tattoo skin tumour" and "ink melanoma". RESULTS: In most cases, the melanoma occurred on dark blue (10/30), black (8/30), or blue ink (3/30). The Breslow thickness at diagnosis was ≤1 mm in 13/30, 1-2 mm in 3/30, 2-4 mm in 2/30, >4 mm in 5/30, and Clark II in 2/30 (not available in 5/30). CONCLUSIONS: Both the incidence of melanoma and the number of tattoos have been increasing in recent years, but a possible carcinogenic effect of tattoos remains unproven. The spread of this decorative custom will make observation of melanoma in tattoos more frequent in dermatological practice, therefore these cases should be reported in national skin cancer registries.
BACKGROUND:Malignant melanoma cases arising in tattoos have been increasingly described, however, there is no clear relationship between this practice and the development of cutaneous malignancies. OBJECTIVES: We report a new case of melanoma in a dark-blue tattoo and we review all cases of melanoma reported in the medical literature from 1938 to date. MATERIALS & METHODS: Pubmed and Google Scholar were searched using the terms "melanoma tattoo", "tattoo skin tumour" and "ink melanoma". RESULTS: In most cases, the melanoma occurred on dark blue (10/30), black (8/30), or blue ink (3/30). The Breslow thickness at diagnosis was ≤1 mm in 13/30, 1-2 mm in 3/30, 2-4 mm in 2/30, >4 mm in 5/30, and Clark II in 2/30 (not available in 5/30). CONCLUSIONS: Both the incidence of melanoma and the number of tattoos have been increasing in recent years, but a possible carcinogenic effect of tattoos remains unproven. The spread of this decorative custom will make observation of melanoma in tattoos more frequent in dermatological practice, therefore these cases should be reported in national skin cancer registries.
Authors: Marike Leijs; Hannah Schaefer; Albert Rübben; Claudio Cacchi; Thomas Rustemeyer; Sebastiaan van der Bent Journal: Curr Oncol Date: 2021-11-15 Impact factor: 3.677