Vaping can cause DNA changes similar to those seen in regular cigarette smokers

Researchers have disproved the idea that alternative cigarettes are less harmful than regular cigarettes. They found the same DNA changes in the mouths of e-cigarette smokers as in people who smoke tobacco.

These changes are associated with the development of cancer, writes Medical News.

As part of a study by scientists from University College London, the results of which published in the scientific journal Cancer Research, analyzed more than 3.5 thousand human DNA.

Despite the fact that the National Health Service of Great Britain (NHS) has previously stated that e-cigarettes are significantly safer than tobacco, scientists have found changes in the DNA of vaping users who have smoked less than 100 tobacco cigarettes in their lifetime.

The researchers found that the epithelial cells in the oral cavity have changed significantly in smokers.

Importantly, these changes are exacerbated by lung cancer or precancerous conditions (abnormal cells or tissues can “degenerate” into malignant ones). This confirms the hypothesis according to which they are associated with smoking and thanks to this the cells can grow faster.

“We can’t say that e-cigarettes cause cancer, but we have seen that users of these devices have some epigenetic changes in their cells similar to those found in smokers. They are linked to the future development of lung cancer.

Further research is needed to determine whether these results can be used to individually predict the occurrence of cancer in smokers and e-cigarette users.” – she explained lead study author Chiara Herzog.

We will remind you about the use of alcohol increases the risk the occurrence of cancer.