From the Research
Snus use does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of oropharyngeal cancer, according to the most recent and highest quality study available 1.
Key Points
- The study, published in 2021, found no association between snus use and oral cancer in a pooled analysis of nine prospective observational studies 1.
- The analysis included 418,369 male participants and found that ever-snus use was not associated with oral cancer, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.90 (95% CI: 0.74,1.09) 1.
- There were no clear trends in risk with duration or intensity of snus use, although lower intensity use was associated with a reduced risk 1.
- Snus use was not associated with oral cancer among never smokers, with a hazard ratio of 0.87 (95% CI: 0.57,1.32) 1.
Comparison to Other Studies
- Earlier studies had suggested a possible link between snus use and oropharyngeal cancer, but these findings were not consistent across all studies 2, 3, 4, 5.
- The 2021 study 1 provides the most recent and highest quality evidence on this topic, and its findings suggest that snus use is not associated with an increased risk of oropharyngeal cancer.
Recommendations
- For those concerned about cancer risk, the best recommendation is to avoid all tobacco products, including snus.
- Nicotine replacement therapies like patches or gum, or prescription medications like varenicline or bupropion, are safer alternatives for those seeking nicotine or trying to quit tobacco use altogether.