Vaping Increases Cancer Risks for Former Smokers, Study Reveals
WHO:
Ynetnews - Prof. Elizabeth Dudnik, head of thoracic oncology at Assuta Medical Centers.
Ynetnews - Researchers from a large nationwide cohort study in South Korea.
Ynetnews - Dr. Anry Pitchkhadze, an ophthalmologist with Maccabi Healthcare Services.
WHAT:
Ynetnews - The study indicates that e-cigarette use after quitting smoking may weaken some of the protective effects of quitting, particularly regarding lung cancer and death risks.
Ynetnews - The researchers found that the increased risk of lung cancer associated with e-cigarette use was evident even among individuals who had stopped smoking more than five years earlier.
Ynetnews - The study authors emphasized that the findings do not prove that e-cigarettes cause lung cancer but suggest that they may reduce the health benefits of cessation.
Ynetnews - A study published in Nature Medicine indicates that former smokers who use e-cigarettes have a higher risk of lung cancer and death.
Ynetnews - Former smokers who continued using e-cigarettes have a 56% higher risk of developing lung cancer and a 22% higher risk of death from any cause compared to those who do not use e-cigarettes.
Ynetnews - Compared to active smokers, former smokers who did not use e-cigarettes had a 44% lower risk of lung cancer and a 37% lower risk of death from any cause.
Ynetnews - Among former smokers who continued using e-cigarettes, the reductions in risk were 12% for lung cancer and 23% for death.
Ynetnews - A separate study found that those who switched to e-cigarettes had a 24% higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy compared to those who stopped using nicotine entirely.
WHERE:
Ynetnews - The study was conducted in South Korea, utilizing health insurance records and the national death registry.
WHEN:
Ynetnews - The study followed more than 4.5 million former smokers over an unspecified duration, with an average follow-up of 4.6 years for the eye disease study.
WHY:
Ynetnews - The study suggests that e-cigarette use after quitting smoking may weaken some of the protective effects of cessation, potentially sustaining nicotine addiction and exposure to harmful substances.
HOW:
Ynetnews - The researchers conducted additional analyses to ensure the findings were not influenced by differences between e-cigarette users and non-users, including examining smoking history and health status prior to quitting.
Ynetnews - The researchers analyzed data from a large cohort of former smokers, comparing those who used e-cigarettes to those who did not, while controlling for various factors such as age, sex, and underlying medical conditions.
(UPDATED July 16, 2026 17:22 UTC)
A new study reveals that using e-cigarettes after quitting smoking may diminish some of the protective benefits of cessation, particularly concerning lung cancer and mortality risks. Researchers found that this increased risk of lung cancer was present even in individuals who had stopped smoking more than five years prior. While the authors noted that their findings do not definitively prove e-cigarettes cause lung cancer, they suggest that e-cigarette use could undermine the health advantages gained from quitting smoking.
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(UPDATED July 16, 2026 10:36 UTC)
A new study published in Nature Medicine reveals that former smokers who use e-cigarettes face a significantly higher risk of lung cancer and death. Specifically, the research indicates that these individuals have a 56% increased risk of developing lung cancer and a 22% higher risk of dying from any cause compared to those who do not use e-cigarettes. Conducted in South Korea, the study analyzed health insurance records and followed over 4.5 million former smokers, suggesting that continuing e-cigarette use may undermine the health benefits gained from quitting smoking.