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Invisible tattoos could replace the permanent dark ink tattoos used to ensure that breast cancer patients having radiotherapy are treated in the same sport during each session, according to a new pilot study. 

According to the study, permanent pin prick marks made on the skin of women having radiotherapy reminds them of their diagnosis for years to come, reducing body confidence and self-esteem.

In addition, it's more difficult to spot these tattoos in dark-skinned women, which could lead to inconsistencies in the area being treated. 

"These findings suggest that offering fluorescent radiotherapy tattoos as an alternative to dark ink ones could help ameliorate the negative feelings some women feel towards their bodies after treatment. It's important to remember that body image is subjective and dark ink radiotherapy tattoos will affect patients differently, but we hope that these results will go some way towards making this a viable option for radiotherapy patients in the future," said Steven Landeg, a senior radiographer from the Royal Marsden, in the press release.

The pilot study will be presented at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) cancer Conference.