A recent study in South Korea found that individuals who quit smoking and then took up vaping were more likely to develop lung cancer than those who did not vape.
Study Details
Yeon Wook Kim led this research at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. He stated, “This is the first large population-based study to demonstrate the increased risk of lung cancer in e-cigarette users after smoking cessation.” The study examined 4,329,288 individuals in South Korea with a history of conventional smoking, with readings taken at two points: 2012-2014 and 2018, and a follow-up in December 2021. By the follow-up, 53,354 individuals had developed lung cancer, and 6,351 had died from it.
Key Findings
The findings revealed that former cigarette smokers who took up e-cigarettes were at a greater risk of lung cancer diagnosis and cancer-related death than ex-smokers who avoided e-cigarettes. Kim emphasized, “Our results indicate that when integrating smoking cessation interventions to reduce lung cancer risk, the potential harms of using e-cigarettes as an alternative to smoking must be considered.”
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Are Vapes Less Harmful Than Tobacco Cigarettes?
E-cigarettes heat a liquid to produce vapor you inhale, sometimes containing tobacco. They also contain other potentially harmful chemicals, albeit at lower levels than tobacco cigarettes. “Dangerous chemicals found in vaping products that can damage lungs include acrolein, formaldehyde, diacetyl, and ultrafine particles that can be deeply inhaled. Vaping products can also include heavy metals such as lead,” said Ashley Merianos, an associate professor at the University of Cincinnati in the US.
Health Perspectives on E-Cigarettes
Many healthcare professionals believe e-cigarettes are substantially safer than smoking tobacco and recommend vaping as a tool to quit smoking. Experts say e-cigarettes are safe in the short to medium term but are unlikely to be risk-free in the long term. Merianos noted many unknowns about vaping, particularly concerning long-term human health effects. “Budding evidence suggests that vaping may be linked to lung problems, including asthma. Additionally, the limited studies we have indicate that secondhand aerosol exposure is associated with respiratory symptoms and illnesses,” Merianos told DW. She added that secondhand exposure to aerosols from vaping products could also be harmful.
Do E-Cigarettes Cause Cancer?
E-cigarette liquids can contain low concentrations of numerous chemicals known to cause cancer. A heavy user may inhale these chemicals multiple times a day, every day, for many years. However, it is currently unknown what extent of exposure is sufficient to cause cancer. While studies show that short-term vaping (less than two years) is not associated with a rise in cancer diagnoses, this latest study from South Korea is one of several recent studies indicating that vapes may increase the risk of developing cancer later in life, particularly for former conventional cigarette smokers.
Ongoing Research and Concerns
A study published in March 2024 found that vape users and cigarette smokers had similar changes to the DNA of cells in their mouth. Such changes have been linked to the future development of lung cancers in smokers but do not prove that people who vape will necessarily develop cancer. Merianos said researchers lack sufficient evidence to draw conclusions about the long-term health effects of vaping, including cancer outcomes. The science is also inconclusive about whether vaping is more harmful to certain groups, such as pregnant women or children.
