Long-Term Exposure to Incense Raises Cancer Risk
By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter 32 minutes ago
MONDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to burning incense over long periods of time raises the risk of developing cancers of the upper respiratory tract, a new study shows.
Interestingly, the practice did not increase the overall risk of lung cancer.
"Given that our results are backed by numerous experimental studies showing that incense is a powerful producer of particulate matter and that incense smoke contains carcinogenic substances, I believe incense should be used with caution," said study author Dr. Jeppe Friborg, of the department of epidemiology research at Statens Serum Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark. "That is, frequent use in rooms where people live should be minimized, or at least sufficient ventilation should be secured. In our study, we find the increased risk of cancer to be present in individuals reporting frequent use of incense for many years, thus, repeated exposure for years should probably be avoided."
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