Incense is least well identified cancer-causing agent, study shows

Burning incense is popular in the UAE but it releases gases and tiny particles thought to be harmful to health

A sales clerk drops a piece of oud into an incense burner at Ibn Battuta mall in Dubai. Regular incense burning has been linked to cancer. Razan Alzayani / The National

Fewer than one-third of UAE residents are aware that incense burning may increase their risk of cancer, according to a study.

The results, from a survey of people’s knowledge of environmental factors linked to cancer, have led to calls for better education to help reduce rates of the disease.

Burning incense is popular in the Emirates, but it releases gases and tiny particles thought to be harmful to health.

In a survey of 385 people, almost nine out of 10 knew that tobacco caused cancer, while seven out of 10 identified alcohol as a risk factor.

But just 31.7 per cent of participants recognised the risk that incense smoke posed, making it the least well identified cancer-causing agent.

The study’s lead author, Dr Samrein Ahmed, of the University of Sharjah’s College of Medicine, was “not at all” surprised by the findings.

“Actually, one of the aims from this study is to start to have some preliminary evidence in regard to the knowledge gap. This helps in more guided awareness campaigns,” she said.

“Since cancer incidence is increasing worldwide as well as in the UAE, it is preferable to shed light on what might cause cancer development in the UAE. This will help to strengthen the development of preventive measures.”

The researchers, eight from the University of Sharjah and one from Alfarouk Biomedical Research, a company in the United States, said the results showed people were only aware of common risk factors.

“It is important to educate the general public about some traditional practices that might lead to cancer,” they wrote.

“A lack of awareness about common yet risky exposure to substances may be an important and overlooked impediment to national cancer-prevention strategies.”

Research has indicated that burning incense gives off particulate matter and chemicals that increase the risk of cancer.

A 2008 study involving 60,000 Chinese people found that incense was associated with a higher chance of developing squamous cell carcinoma in the respiratory system, which causes about one-third of lung cancers.

Also, 2015 research found that incense smoke caused greater harm to animal cells in the laboratory than tobacco smoke did, although it did not take account of the fact that people directly inhale tobacco smoke.

The researchers in Sharjah now aim to study how incense smoke can turn cells from the lung lining cancerous.

“Hopefully this study opens the door to various follow-up studies, which will all provide direction to the authorities to act to reduce cancer incidence in the UAE. The authorities are very keen to promote health in the UAE,” said Dr Ahmed.

The research was released this year in the Swiss-based International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Its release came after the publication, in February, of a study that found that buildings in the Gulf region were often poorly ventilated, so pollutants from incense and other sources tend to remain in buildings.