A comprehensive new review led by UNSW Sydney has concluded that nicotine based e-cigarettes are likely to cause cancers of the lungs and oral cavity.
Published in the journal Carcinogenesis, the study evaluated a broad range of international research and brought together experts from several institutions, including The University of Queensland, Flinders University, The University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, The Prince Charles Hospital, and Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
The research team included specialists from multiple fields such as pharmacy, epidemiology, thoracic surgery, and public health. By examining evidence from a variety of scientific disciplines, they sought to determine whether vaping itself may contribute to cancer development.
"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," Prof. Stewart says.
The review focused on carcinogenicity, or cancer causation, and argues that while vaping has often been studied as a pathway to cigarette smoking, far less attention has been paid to the possibility that e-cigarettes could directly cause cancer on their own.
