Vaping Likely to Cause Cancer, Aussie Researcher Warns

Evidence linking tobacco smoking to lung harm dates back to the 1880s, but it took nearly a century to definitively establish that smoking causes lung cancer.

Researchers found evidence that vaping alters tissues in the mouth and lungs, including DNA mutations—further indication of carcinogen exposure.

Now, researchers are asking a similar question about vaping.

Most studies examining the cancer risk of vaping have focused on its role as a gateway to tobacco use. People who vape are more likely than non-smokers to take up smoking, Dr. Bernard Stewart wrote for The Conversation on April 5, 2026.

A comprehensive review published recently found that vaping likely contributes to oral and lung cancers, according to Stewart, a researcher from the University of New South Wales.

“We identified all peer-reviewed research published between 2017 and mid-2025 that examined health impacts of vaping indicative of potential cancer causation. The aerosol inhaled by users contains a complex mixture of chemicals, including nicotine, its byproducts, and vaporized metals. This aerosol exhibits many of the 10 ‘key characteristics of carcinogens’ identified by the World Health Organization (WHO),” Stewart wrote.

Blood and urine analyses confirmed that people who vape absorb chemicals known to be linked to cancer.

The studies also detected nicotine and its breakdown products, carcinogenic metals from heating elements, and organic compounds from vaporized e-liquids.

Researchers found evidence that vaping alters tissues in the mouth and lungs, including DNA mutations—further indication of carcinogen exposure.

There were also observable changes in cancer biomarkers in lung and oral tissues. These biomarkers, which include inflammation and oxidative stress, can signal early stages of tumor development.