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Melanoma and tattoos: a case report and review of the literature

  • Clinical Report
  • Published:
European Journal of Dermatology

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 newcase of melanoma in a dark-blue tattoo and we reviewall 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.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Day Surgery Unit, IDI-IRCCS - FLMM, Rome, Italy

    Francesco Ricci

  2. Dermatology Unit, “Cristo Re” General Hospital, Rome, Italy

    Andrea Paradisi

  3. Hautklinik, Klinikum Darmstadt GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany

    Francesco Ricci, Stephanie Alissa Maier, Maximilian Kovacs & Maurizio Podda

  4. Institute of Dermatology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy

    Ketty Peris

  5. Clinical epidemiology Unit, IDI-IRCCS - FLMM, Rome, Italy

    Damiano Abeni

Authors
  1. Francesco Ricci
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  2. Andrea Paradisi
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  3. Stephanie Alissa Maier
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  4. Maximilian Kovacs
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  5. Maurizio Podda
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  6. Ketty Peris
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  7. Damiano Abeni
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Francesco Ricci.

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Ricci, F., Paradisi, A., Maier, S.A. et al. Melanoma and tattoos: a case report and review of the literature. Eur J Dermatol 28, 50–55 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1684/ejd.2017.3184

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1684/ejd.2017.3184

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