Vaping Poses Significant Cancer Risks, New Comprehensive Review Reveals
Despite being widely promoted as a safer alternative for smoking cessation, vaping has been strongly linked to both mouth and lung cancer in a groundbreaking new study. Australian researchers from the University of New South Wales in Sydney have conducted the most comprehensive review to date, analysing all available literature on vaping harms published between 2017 and 2025.
DNA Alterations and Cellular Damage Identified
The research team identified particularly concerning studies demonstrating that vaping can cause significant changes to users' DNA. These alterations increase the risk of cellular malfunction directly associated with cancer development. Professor Bernard Stewart, the study's lead author, emphasised that vaping should not be considered a safe alternative to traditional smoking or illicit substances.
'The research shows vaping is not an alternative to smoking or illicit drugs. It is not an alternative to anything in the context of being safer. It's dangerous and that's the message,' Professor Stewart stated unequivocally.
Dual Use Creates Four-Fold Cancer Risk Increase
The review concluded that vaping causes substantial tissue damage to the respiratory tract, which has been directly linked to lung cancer development. Additionally, vaping triggers significant changes to the oral microbiome, driving inflammation and substantially increasing oral cancer risks.
Most alarmingly, the research identified that individuals who both smoke traditional cigarettes and use vapes - approximately half of the smoking population - face a four-fold increased risk of developing lung cancer compared to those who only smoke.
Case Study Highlights Youth Cancer Risk
To support their findings, researchers highlighted the disturbing case of a 19-year-old boy with extensive vaping history who developed an aggressive form of mouth cancer. The teenager was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, an extremely rare condition in the absence of HPV infection, leading researchers to conclude that vaping may directly cause oral cavity cancer.
Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Pathways
The inflammation and oxidative stress caused by vaping in both the mouth and respiratory tract have also been linked to numerous serious health conditions beyond cancer. These include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which can trigger organ failure, heart disease, arterial narrowing, and neural changes in the brain.
Historical Parallels with Tobacco Industry
Professor Freddy Sitas, an expert in future health systems and study co-author, drew concerning parallels between current vaping research and historical tobacco industry patterns. 'It took about 100 years for the evidence to be conclusive enough to say that smoking causes lung cancer and the history of events evolved over time as people became more and more exposed to tobacco,' Professor Sitas explained.
'And we are seeing a similar evolution with e-cigarettes. Delayed findings have played right into the hands of tobacco companies who don't mind whether they make their money through vapes or cigarettes.'
Current Regulatory Measures Insufficient
While the UK government has implemented measures including a ban on disposable vapes and potential restrictions on vaping in cars, the new review suggests these precautionary actions are insufficient. Researchers argue that current regulations fail to adequately address the 'no doubt' evidence that vaping contributes to cancer development.
Chemical Composition Concerns
Although vapes don't contain tar or carbon monoxide - previously considered the primary harmful components of traditional cigarettes - they do contain low levels of toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde. These substances drive inflammation, oxidative stress, and DNA changes that have been directly linked to cancer development.
Rising Cancer Rates Among Younger Populations
Research indicates that head and neck cancers, including those affecting the mouth and throat, have surged by more than a third in Britain since the early 1990s. Experts attribute this increase primarily to diagnoses among younger people in their 40s and 50s, with vaping now considered a potential contributing factor alongside established causes like smoking, alcohol, and HPV.
Urgent Call for Proactive Measures
Professor Sitas emphasised the critical need for immediate action: 'While our understanding of causation has improved, we should not have to wait 100 years to decide what to do. There is a window of opportunity now to be able to discern these effects and now is the time to be proactive rather than reactive.'
The research underscores the urgent need for more effective smoking cessation methods, particularly given that lung cancer still claims over 33,000 lives annually in the UK. Smoking remains the leading cause of COPD, which affects approximately 1.7 million people in Britain and causes 30,000 deaths each year.
