Short-term effects of vaping explained as new study claims e-cigarettes could cause cancer

Results from a new study show that nicotine-based e-cigarettes could cause cancer, despite being promoted as a safer alternative to smoking.

The review, published in Carcinogenesis, looked at over a 100 studies from 2017 and 2025 to examine the effects of vaping on the body.

But because cancer can take years to develop, long-term studies linking e-cigarettes to cancer are still limited.

Attempting to overcome this, the researchers reviewed several biomarkers, from laboratory experiments and animal studies to investigations into the biological mechanisms of cancer development.

These biomarkers indicate how the body responds to harmful substances and showed evidence that vaping exposes users to chemicals associated with cancer risk.

"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," writes study co-authors Bernard Stewart of the University of New South Wales.

Nicotine-based e-cigarettes could cause cancer, according to a new study (Getty Stock Images)

"Considering all the findings – from clinical monitoring, animal studies, and mechanistic data – e-cigarettes are likely to cause lung cancer and oral cancer."

Short-term effects of vaping

While the review finds that nicotine-based e-cigarettes are likely carcinogenic to humans, the short-term effects are more documented.

According to Cleveland Clinic, short-term side effects include:

· Coughing

· Shortness of breath

· Eye irritation

· Headaches

· Dry and irritated mouth and throat

· Nausea

Limitations of new study

The findings suggest that 'cigarettes are likely to cause lung cancer and oral cancer', says the study co-author (Getty Stock Images)

Prof Peter Hajek, the Director of the Health and Research Unit at Queen Mary University of London, thinks the 'review’s conclusions are misleading'.

The Professor of Clinical Psychology argues that the authors are not comparing vaping with smoking, which makes the risks appear larger than they could be.

“Vaping provides nicotine at levels similar to smoking, but importantly, despite what the authors of this review imply, nicotine is not a carcinogen,” he said.

Not everyone is convinced by the study (Getty Stock Images)

“What the paper describes in sections that concern body responses rather than detection of chemicals are primarily various effects of nicotine, and frequently of nicotine overdose.

“This is mostly from studies on stressed laboratory animals subjected to involuntary, chronic, and extremely high doses. Effects thus elicited have no relevance for voluntary use of nicotine by humans.”

'Orange juice drinkers can get cancer too'

Prof Hajek maintains that 'switching from smoking to vaping removes the major source of all smoking related diseases, including cancer'.

“The authors also found several case reports of vapers who got cancer, but drinkers of orange juice and cyclists get cancer too; and in addition, most of these cases were long-term smokers before they switched to vaping,” he added.

“Misinforming smokers risks discouraging them from using e-cigarettes, which are one of the most effective methods that exist to help people stop smoking.”