Vaping has been linked to lung and oral cancer: new study published
31 March 14:33
A large-scale scientific review of more than 100 studies concluded that the use of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes is likely associated with an increased risk of lung cancer and oral cancer. This is reported by ScienceAlert , as noted by "Komersant Ukrainian"
The authors of the analysis emphasize that there is currently insufficient long-term population data to accurately measure the extent of the risk, but the body of available evidence already raises serious concerns.
The study covered publications released since 2017 and included results from human observational studies, animal experiments, and laboratory experiments with cells that examined the effects of chemical compounds found in vape liquids. All of these lines of research, according to the authors, point to the carcinogenic potential of vaping.
What exactly did the researchers find?
The authors of the review sought to assess the impact of e-cigarettes on their own, rather than solely in comparison to conventional smoking. That is why they excluded studies on so-called “dual users”—people who both smoke and vape. They also discarded older, less comprehensive studies, focusing instead on more recent data.
The evidence was divided into three main groups. The first consisted of studies involving people that showed biomarkers of DNA damage, oxidative stress, and inflammation. The second group consisted of experiments on mice in which exposure to e-cigarette aerosol led to the development of lung tumors. The third group comprised laboratory studies describing the mechanisms by which substances in e-cigarette liquids, including known carcinogens, damage cells.
Why are scientists specifically talking about lung and oral cavity cancer?
Researchers note that the body of clinical, experimental, and mechanistic data points most strongly to risks specifically for the lungs and oral cavity. They specifically highlighted clinical cases of aggressive oral cancer in people who vaped heavily but had no or almost no traditional risk factors, such as regular smoking or viral infections.
In some cases, severe disease progression was observed in relatively young patients.
One of the review’s authors, cancer researcher Bernard Stewart, stated that, based on all the available data, e-cigarettes likely cause lung cancer and oral cancer.
At the same time, the authors emphasize that this currently refers specifically to a strong probable association, rather than a fully quantified risk at the population level.
Why the exact risk hasn’t been calculated yet
The main reason is the relatively short history of vaping itself. E-cigarettes only became widespread in the 2000s, and many types of cancer can develop decades after initial exposure to harmful substances. Because of this, scientists do not yet have enough long-term data to accurately quantify the risk.
The study’s authors compare the situation to the history of conventional cigarettes: it took scientists decades to definitively prove the causal link between smoking and lung cancer, and even longer to quantify the consequences.
That is why scientists are urging us not to repeat the same mistake and not to wait many more years until the harm becomes evident on a population-wide scale.
What particularly concerns scientists
A particular cause for concern is how vapes are used in real life. Although e-cigarettes have often been advertised as a way to help quit smoking, many people do not switch to them completely but continue to smoke conventional cigarettes at the same time.
Some studies suggest that this dual use may be even more dangerous than smoking cigarettes alone. The review cites a 2024 study that found a fourfold higher risk of lung cancer in people who both smoked and vaped compared to those who only smoked.
Another concern is young people who previously did not smoke at all but have started vaping. According to data from a 2021 meta-analysis cited in the review, such teenagers and young adults are three times more likely to become regular smokers of conventional cigarettes. In other words, vaping may not only fail to reduce nicotine dependence but also open the door to it for a new group of people.
Does this mean that vapes are definitely more dangerous than cigarettes?
The study itself does not claim that vaping is always more dangerous than traditional smoking. The authors focused on something else: they assessed whether e-cigarettes have carcinogenic potential on their own, rather than just in comparison to tobacco. The conclusion is this: yes, they do, and this can no longer be ignored.
At the same time, the researchers acknowledge that for some smokers, vaping may help reduce consumption of regular cigarettes. But they emphasize: this does not negate the overall risk, especially when it comes to people who have never smoked and are starting with vaping.
