Electronic cigarettes and breast cancer: how vaping-related stress may affect tumor growth
Official title: Electronic cigarettes, oxidative stress and development of breast tumor
Funded at Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci · NIH-11399733 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small study explores whether electronic cigarette use creates oxidative stress that could promote breast cancer growth, using a mouse model and human cancer cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | August 5, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $143,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM149471-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11399733 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with or at risk for breast cancer who are exposed to or use electronic cigarettes, or researchers seeking to translate animal findings to human studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not use or are not exposed to electronic cigarettes or breast cancer may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This project looks at how exposure to electronic cigarettes might cause oxidative stress in breast cancer cells and their surroundings, potentially helping tumors grow. Researchers plan to use breast cancer cells in mice to see if vaping-related chemicals increase DNA damage and trigger pro-survival signals. They will test whether antioxidant treatments or other interventions can modulate these effects. The study builds on preliminary data showing higher tumor growth and increased stress markers with electronic-cigarette exposure.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify factors linking vaping to faster breast cancer growth and suggest approaches to mitigate risk for patients.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary mouse data suggest a link between vaping-related oxidative stress and tumor growth, supporting further exploration.
Where this research is happening
-
Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pervin, Shehla — Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci
- Study coordinator: Pervin, Shehla
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.