Long-term exposure to incense fumes was associated with an increased risk for developing mouth, tongue, and certain lung cancers, as well as squamous cell lung cancer, the most common type of lung cancer in smokers.
Incense is a powerful producer of particulate matter made from various plants and oils. Its smoke contains the same carcinogenic substances that are found in cigarette smoke. Though it is used regularly as a part of daily life in large parts of Asia and India, many people in the U.S. and other Western countries also burn incense on a daily basis.
Lead researcher Jeppe T. Friborg, of Copenhagen's Statens Serum Institut recommends that people should avoid prolonged use of incense in areas where they spend a lot of time, like living rooms.
For this study, researchers conducted face-to-face interviews with more than 61,000 Singapore Chinese aged 45 to 74 who were cancer-free at the beginning of the study. When interviewed in detail about their dietary and lifestyle habits, including their exposure to incense, nearly three-quarters of the men and women reported being current incense users.
Researchers found that 325 upper respiratory tract cancers and 821 lung cancers were reported over a period of time. Incense burning almost doubled the risk of developing squamous cell upper respiratory tract carcinomas including nasal/sinus, tongue, mouth and laryngeal.
The risk was same in both smokers and in nonsmokers, the study said. However, the researchers also added that if you do light up, ensure you have good ventilation and don't buy cheap sticks. The findings are to be published in the Oct. 1 issue of Cancer.
