A recent study conducted in South Korea has revealed that individuals who quit smoking and then turned to vaping are at a higher risk of developing lung cancer compared to those who did not take up vaping. The study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, was led by Yeon Wook Kim at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital.
“This is the first large population-based study to demonstrate the increased risk of lung cancer in e-cigarette users after smoking cessation,” Kim stated.
The research examined 4,329,288 individuals with a history of conventional smoking, collecting data from 2012-2014, 2018, and a follow-up in December 2021. By the follow-up period, 53,354 individuals had developed lung cancer, and 6,351 had died from it.
The findings indicated that former smokers who began using e-cigarettes had a higher incidence of lung cancer and related deaths compared to those who quit smoking without switching to e-cigarettes. Kim emphasized the importance of considering the potential harms of e-cigarettes in smoking cessation strategies.
E-cigarettes work by heating a liquid into a vapor that users inhale, often containing tobacco and other potentially harmful chemicals like acrolein, formaldehyde, and heavy metals. Although many health professionals regard e-cigarettes as safer than traditional smoking and recommend them as a cessation tool, concerns about their long-term safety persist.
Ashley Merianos, an associate professor at the University of Cincinnati, highlighted that dangerous chemicals found in vaping products could damage lungs and contribute to respiratory issues. She pointed out the many unknowns regarding the long-term health effects of vaping, particularly its potential link to cancer.
While studies show that short-term vaping is not associated with an increase in cancer diagnoses, emerging research, including the South Korean study, suggests a possible long-term risk for former smokers who switch to e-cigarettes. Further research is needed to conclusively determine the extent of these risks.