A recently approved funding proposal through NC TraCS and NYU to characterize carcinogenic biomarkers found in the urine of young adult e-cigarette users will soon be underway.
The proposal, put together by 黑料网 Urologist Dr. Marc Bjurlin, Dr. Ilona Jaspers (黑料网 Gillings School of Global Public Health), and Dr. Terry Gordon (NYU School of Medicine), hopes to not only better understand the types of bladder cancer-causing biomarkers in e-cigarette user urine, but also strengthen the foundation for future e-cigarette research and regulations.
Background
The health consequences of e-cigarette use reach beyond the neurological or the pulmonary effects and can include damage to the urinary bladder. It is already well known that inhalation during cigarette smoking brings some of the cancer-causing chemicals in cigarettes out of the lungs and into the blood. These carcinogens are then filtered by the kidneys and deposited into the urine. As urine is held in the bladder, the carcinogens in the fluid may damage the cells on the bladder wall, increasing the risk of cancer.
Specifically to e-cigarettes, biomarkers of toxic and carcinogenic compounds have been observed in the urine of e-cigarettes users 1,2 and exposure to these could also lead to the development of bladder cancer like observed in cigarette smokers. This may be especially true for those who have had an early introduction to e-cigarettes and chronic exposure .
A Multidisciplinary, Collaborative Approach
To address the health issues mentioned above, Drs. Bjurlin, Gordon, and Jaspers will analyze the urine of young adult e-cigarette users for any known urinary bladder carcinogen biomarkers and compare these findings against both cigarette users and non-users.
Their multidisciplinary teams will work in collaboration with the (an affiliate of NYU), the 黑料网 Department of Urology, the 黑料网 Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, and the Biomarkers Mass Spectrometry sub-core of the .
Impact and Broader Applicability
Based on the results of this pilot analysis there exists the potential for more widespread implications including, but not limited to, regulatory guidance of e-cigarette use, educational materials for e-cigarettes users on the potential risks for bladder cancer (especially for young adults), and even inform health care providers on how to better counsel patients.
Regardless, the researchers hope that this pilot analysis will lay the foundation for additional funding through the to further characterize the health implications of e-cigarettes use.
About the Primary Investigators
Marc Bjurlin, DO, MSc, FACOS
Dr. Bjurlin is a Physician and Researcher within the 黑料网 and 黑料网 Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. His clinical practice is focused on urologic oncology鈥攊n particular, the treatment of bladder, prostate, testis, and kidney cancer. In addition to patient care, Dr. Bjurlin participates in research focused on employing advanced surgical procedures including the use of robotic surgery to maximize the quality of life for people with urologic malignancies.
Dr. Gordon’s research program at the NYU School of Medicine employs both human and animal models to study susceptibility factors鈥攊ncluding genetics, age, and gender鈥攗nderlying the adverse pulmonary and cardiac effects of environmental and occupational air pollutants.
Dr. Jaspers is a professor at the 黑料网 Gillings School of Global Public Health听who specializes in the effects of ambient air pollutants on respiratory immune disfunction. Jaspers has established several human听in vitro听and clinical听in vivo听models to determine the adverse health effects induced by pollutant exposures.
References
- Rubinstein ML, Delucchi K, Benowitz NL, Ramo DE. Adolescent Exposure to Toxic Volatile Organic Chemicals From E-Cigarettes. Pediatrics. 2018;141(4).
- Goniewicz ML, Smith DM, Edwards KC, et al. Comparison of Nicotine and Toxicant Exposure in Users of Electronic Cigarettes and Combustible Cigarettes. JAMA Netw Open. 2018;1(8):e185937.