Cancer Risk: Long-term incense use has been associated with an increased risk of certain types of cancer, particularly those affecting the respiratory system[1][2]. Specifically, the risk of developing upper respiratory tract carcinomas nearly doubled in regular incense users[7]. Additionally, there was a significant increase in the risk of squamous cell carcinomas throughout the entire respiratory tract among long-term incense users[1][2].
The smoke produced by burning incense contains several potentially harmful substances, including polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), carbonyls, and benzene[3]. These compounds are known to be carcinogenic and can cause mutations in human DNA.
The research aligns with a large-scale prospective cohort study conducted between 1993 and 1998, which involved over 60,000 ethnic Chinese people in Singapore aged 45-78. Follow-up was conducted in 2005 using health records from Singapore’s National Cancer Registry[1][2]. After adjusting for other potential cancer-causing factors like smoking, the study found that 325 participants developed upper respiratory tract cancer and 821 developed lung cancer[1][2].
In some cases, the levels of carcinogenic compounds in incense smoke were alarmingly high. For instance, benzopyrene levels in a poorly ventilated temple were up to 45 times higher than in homes where people smoked tobacco. In the same temple, levels were up to 118 times higher than in areas with no indoor combustion sources.
These findings underscore the potential health risks associated with long-term exposure to incense smoke, particularly in poorly ventilated areas.
These compounds are known to be carcinogenic and can cause mutations in human DNA[3].
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[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2559972/
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18726993/
[3] https://www.healthline.com/health/is-incense-bad-for-you
[4] https://www.reuters.com/article/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/burning-incense-linked-to-respiratory-cancers-idUSPAT569446/
[5] https://aacrjournals.org/cancerres/article/67/9_Supplement/77/534785/Incense-use-and-respiratory-tract-carcinomas-a
[6] https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/cncr.23788
[7] https://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/aug/26/incense.cancer
[8] https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/579838