Electronic cigarettes aren’t risk-free, it seems. A review published this week finds that vaping is almost certainly carcinogenic.
Scientists in Australia examined the medical literature on vaping, including case reports and animal studies. They found convincing evidence that e-cigarettes can cause cancer. Many questions remain, however, including the exact level of cancer risk posed by such products, the researchers say.
“Nicotine-based e-cigarettes are likely to be carcinogenic to humans who use them causing an indeterminate burden of oral cancer and lung cancer,” they wrote in their paper, published Monday in the journal Carcinogenesis.
The cancer question
E-cigarettes have emerged as an appealing alternative to tobacco-based cigarettes and other nicotine products over the past decade-and-a-half. But while many scientists have agreed that vaping is significantly safer than smoking, there’s been no shortage of debate and study over the possible health risks it might still have.
The study researchers say most of this research has focused on the potential for vaping to become a “gateway” to smoking, particularly among children and young adults. They argue that considerably less attention has been paid to whether long-term use can also cause cancer. The researchers decided to conduct a “qualitative risk assessment” of the available evidence, analyzing relevant lab research, animal studies, and case reports of suspected cancers linked to vaping.
All in all, they determined there was ample enough data to support a cancer link. Studies have indicated, for instance, that cell DNA can be harmed by the compounds or byproducts of e-cigarettes, including flavoring agents and certain metals. Biomarker studies have also suggested that vaping can damage and inflame oral and respiratory tissue in ways that could increase cancer risk.
“To our knowledge, this review is the most definitive determination that those who vape are at increased risk of cancer compared to those who don’t,” study author Bernard Stewart, a cancer researcher at the University of New South Wales, in a statement from the university.
An enduring debate
The researchers are quick to caution that the research so far cannot quantify the amount of cancer risk that vaping might cause. That will take long-term studies, they say, similar to the studies that helped conclusively prove smoking’s cancer-causing danger.
It’s also worth noting at least some outside experts aren’t all that convinced by the researchers’ findings, while others argue that any cancer risk from vaping is likely to pale in comparison to smoking.
“While it is clear that e-cigarettes expose users to harmful chemicals, which may lead to later disease, I would urge against sensationalization of evidence,” said Lion Shahab, co-director of the Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group at the University of College London, in a statement collected by the Science Media Center. This latest review “does not offer a ‘smoking gun’ that e-cigarettes cause oral or lung cancer.”
Some health-related organizations have also endorsed vaping as a valuable tool to help people quit or cut down on their smoking. And it’s unlikely this review alone will significantly change those recommendations. “Because vaping is far less harmful than smoking, your health could benefit from switching from smoking to vaping. And you will reduce your risk of getting cancer,” states the charity Cancer Research UK.
While it’s best to avoid any nicotine habit in the first place, vaping’s probably still much safer over the long run, even if it can cause cancer.
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