An e-cigarette or a vape is a device that uses nicotine solution, flavorings, and some other chemicals that might be harmful to the user but it is devoid of tobacco. It is almost the shape of a cigarette, cigar, or a pen consisting of a battery as a power source, an atomizer, and a container. It seems pretty clear that the use of e-cigarettes is very harmful to health but the research on how the use of e-cigarettes or vaping affects the lungs is not clear.
Almost everyone is aware of the harmful impacts of smoking that it causes lung cancer. Therefore, people switch to e-cigarettes because they think that it is less dangerous than smoking. Unfortunately, they do not know how harmful the use of e-cigarettes is. In this article, we will come to know how an e-cigarette causes lung cancer.
How does an e-cigarette cause cancer?
The use of e-cigarettes involves heating a liquid using electricity and then inhaling the fumes. In e-cigarette users, lung cancer is a definite concern, given that e-cigarette introduces many carcinogenic chemicals into the lungs.
Considerable research has been conducted to know how they cause lung cancer. Broderick, a researcher, said that tobacco smoking introduces toxic particles to be deposited deep in the bronchial tree and it can lead to lung cancer.
The similar may be valid for the use of e-cigarettes. Apart from causing lung cancer, many lung diseases such as Bronchiolitis obliterans(BO) or Popcorn lungs, Lipoid pneumonia, Asthma, and Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) are also associated with the use of e-cigarettes.
Must Read: What does vaping do to your body?
Composition of e-cigarette:
An e-cigarette consists of a liquid called e-liquid. E-liquid consists of different harmful chemicals such as diacetyl, formaldehyde, and acrolein etc.
Diacetyl:
It is used to flavor e-cigarettes and affects the air passageways in the lungs badly.
Formaldehyde:
Inhalation of this toxic chemical causes lung disease and contributes to heart disease.
Acrolein:
This chemical can damage the lungs. It is also used as a weed killer.
E-cigarette and lung cancer:
The use of e-cigarettes involves heating a liquid using electricity and then inhaling the fumes. In e-cigarette users, lung cancer is a definite concern, given that e-cigarette introduce many carcinogenic chemicals into the lungs. Considerable research has been conducted to know how they cause lung cancer.
Must Read: Is vaping without nicotine bad for your lungs?
Broderick, a researcher, said that tobacco smoking introduces toxic particles to be deposited deep in the bronchial tree and it can lead to lung cancer. The similar may be valid for the use of e-cigarettes. Apart from causing lung cancer, many lung diseases such as Bronchiolitis obliterans(BO) or Popcorn lungs, Lipoid pneumonia, Asthma, and Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) are also associated with the use of e-cigarettes.
Some cancers associated with e-cigarettes:
E-cigarettes can cause lung, bladder, and oral cavity cancer.
Lung cancer:
Lung cancer is a primary concern. The aerosols present in e-cigarettes consisting of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde damage the lung tissues and promote cancer.
Bladder cancer:
E-cigarette aerosols contain toxic chemicals like nitrosamines that get absorbed into the blood, get filtered from the kidneys, and then collect in the urinary bladder to cause cancer.
Oral cavity cancer:
The exposure of the oral cavity to e-cigarettes is direct, when the fumes are inhaled. The carcinogenic chemicals present in e-cigarettes may damage the lining of the mouth and throat leading to cancer.
Diseases associated with e-cigarettes:
Long-term use of e-cigarettes causes many diseases, a few are discussed below:
Popcorn lung:
“Popcorn lung” is known as Bronchiolitis obliterans, but the name” Popcorn lung” probably came when researchers first identified the disease among workers in a popcorn factory. The workers inhaled a chemical diacetyl that gives a buttery flavor to popcorn.
It is a respiratory disorder that affects the bronchioles or air sacs in the lungs causing shortness of breath, dry cough, wheezing, and chest pain. The airways become inflamed and damaged due to inhalation of toxic substances such as diacetyl, formaldehyde, and acrolein.
Lipoid pneumonia:
Lipoid pneumonia is a severe condition of lung inflammation that happens when lipids get collected in the lungs and the air sacs or alveoli fill up with pus and fluid. The liquid present in e-cigarettes is called e-liquid. It consists of propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin, water, and nicotine.
Asthma:
Asthma is a chronic lung disease in which the airways get tight and swollen, and are blocked by mucus. The patient can not breathe conveniently because the swollen airways are not capable of taking in excess air. The harmful chemicals in e-cigarettes cause many problems in the lungs such as coughing, chest pain, mucus secretions in the airways, and tightness of the chest. However, the most harmful chemicals in e-cigarettes are propylene glycol and vegetable glycerine.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease(COPD):
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a lung disease that causes difficulty in breathing. The lungs get damaged and clogged with phlegm. The patient with this disease faces many problems such as phlegm with cough, tiredness, and wheezing. Nicotine present in e-cigarettes is the major cause of this disease, it narrows the airways causing swallowing and damaging the tissues of the lungs. In 2016, a study on COPD was published that reported, that nicotine in vaping products triggers swelling in the lungs.
Is the use of e-cigarettes less harmful than smoking?
E-cigarettes or vape contain nicotine which is heated with the help of electricity and then, the fumes are inhaled but it is still harmful to health. E-liquid contains far fewer of the chemicals present in a cigarette. A cigarette contains 7,000 different chemicals including tobacco which is the number one cause of lung cancer. Ostrin says that tobacco contains many toxic chemicals that cause the epithelial cells of the lungs to undergo mutations that may lead to cancer.
Is secondhand emission from e-cigarettes safe?
It is a myth that secondhand emission from e-cigarettes is safe. E-liquid contains many toxic chemicals but when someone exhales the vapor, a variety of harmful substances is emitted such as nicotine and diacetyl, which may harm the near ones. Therefore, secondhand or passive use of e-cigarettes must be avoided.
Do lungs recover from e-cigarette use?
The lungs do not recover properly after quitting the use of e-cigarettes but some of the damage can be recovered with medications. Some problems like scarring of the lungs are permanent.
How to clear lungs from e-cigarettes?
- Intake of enough water assists the body to clear all the toxic chemicals and maintain a healthy respiratory system.
- Use of antioxidants like vitamins E and C in the diet.
- Use of fruits and vegetables as they are rich in antioxidants.
Preventive measures to help avoid e-cigarette use:
- There must be an increased awareness of the health risks associated with e-cigarettes.
- The marketing of such products should be restricted to avoid their use.
- Provide some resources for the management of stress to avoid e-cigarettes.
- The addicted people should have access to counseling and mental health services to address the underlying issues that may lead to the use of such a substance.