The researcher themselves say: “We’ve showed the FOXM1 gene is activated by nicotine in human mouth cells which raises the possibility that nicotine could potentially increase the risk of mouth cancer. We want to stress, however, that further research is needed to conclusively determine whether this is indeed the case. There is no doubt however about the harmful effects of smoking, so smokers should make every effort to quit,”
The research team are right to advise caution. While their results are interesting and based on sound science, we have to remember that the study was done in a relatively small number of cell samples that had been grown in the lab.
Experiments like this can raise questions that prompt further research but alone, they can’t be treated as convincing evidence that something causes cancer. Often, laboratory studies have reported that a certain chemical increases or reduces the risk of cancer, only for larger studies in actual people to contradict those results (take the case of vitamin supplements, as an example).
This view was echoed by Professor Robert West, Director of Tobacco Studies at Cancer Research UK’s Health Behaviour Research Centre, who has done a lot of work looking into NRT. He said:
“The interpretation is highly speculative and contradicted by evidence that many millions of people have been using nicotine replacement therapy with no increased risk of oral or any other cancer. If reports like this stop people using what for many would be a life-saving medication it would be very unfortunate.”
