Keywords
Smoking
Lung cancer
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Abstract
Objective: To analyze the scientific evidence regarding the relationship between the use of electronic smoking devices and the biological mechanisms associated with lung cancer risk. Methods: This is an integrative literature review structured according to PRISMA recommendations and based on the PICO strategy. The bibliographic search was conducted in the PubMed database using the descriptors Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems, Smoking, and Lung Neoplasms, combined through Boolean operators. Studies published between 2020 and 2025 were included, totaling nine articles in the final sample. Results: The analyzed studies demonstrated that exposure to aerosols from electronic smoking devices may induce oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, epigenetic alterations, DNA damage, immune dysfunction, and proliferative changes consistent with mechanisms involved in pulmonary carcinogenesis. Experimental evidence also identified tumor-promoting potential and impairment of respiratory homeostasis. Final considerations: Although current evidence does not allow a definitive causal relationship between exclusive electronic smoking device use and increased lung cancer incidence, these products should not be considered biologically inert, reinforcing the need for longitudinal studies and public health regulatory measures.
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