The chewing gums and lozenges that help people give up smoking, often in an attempt to avoid lung cancer, may themselves be raising the risk of developing cancer. Researchers at Queen Mary, University of London, found that the effects of a common gene mutation can be increased by nicotine in the levels found in nicotine gum and lozenges.
Lead researcher Dr. Muy-Tech Teh found that the FOXM1 gene is commonly found in many tumors and in pre-cancerous cells in the mouth, and that its effects can be made worse by exposure to nicotine.
“If you already have a mouth lesion that is expressing high levels of FOXM1 and you expose it to nicotine, it may add to the risk of converting it into cancer,” Dr. Teh told Times Online. Neither the raised FOXM1 nor nicotine alone is sufficient to trigger cancer, but together they may have an effect.
Teh’s research raised the possibility that nicotine itself, the addictive chemical in tobacco, is more carcinogenic that previously thought. “Although we acknowledge the importance of encouraging people to quit smoking, our research suggests nicotine found in lozenges and chewing gums may increase the risk of mouth cancer,” Teh said.
“The concern is that with smokers, you are looking at people who are already at risk of oral cancer,” he said. “I’m worried that some may already have lesions they don’t know about in the mouth, and if they keep on taking nicotine replacement when they stop smoking, they will not be doing themselves any good.
“Smoking is of course far more dangerous,” he added. “There is no doubt about the harmful effects of smoking, so smokers should make every effort to quit.
“People who are using nicotine replacements to give up should continue to use it and consult their GPs if they are concerned. The important message is not to overuse it, and to follow advice on the packet.”
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