“Can breathing in steam from plastic electric steamers increase your risk for cancer?”
My uncle was detected with a cancerous growth inside his nose. The doctors have said that inhaling steam from steamers made with a plastic body could have been the cause of his cancer. But, it just sounds ridiculous. Could this really be true? And if so, why?
4 Answers
The proper answer to this is, “Who knows?” We know that some plastics are made with chemicals that either are or may be toxic and may or may not leach out of the material if exposed to the right environment. Bisphonol A in baby bottle is the best example of this but I am sure there are many others. Cancer of the nasal cavity is a rather rare condition and can be related to exposure to the resins in mahogany; but I am not aware of any other definite chemical exposure that would cause this disease. I do not know if steam alone could cause plastics to leach out their chemical contents, but I suspect that it is possible. Use of glass or stainless steel vessels in a steamer should solve the problem under any circumstances. But I would think that an environmental engineer would tell you that carcinogen exposure is possible from steamer usage.
Doubtful that the steam from plastic bodies caused the cancer in the nose which is more commonly due to smoking habits.
Hi! I am sorry to hear about your uncle!
In general, I would say it is unlikely that his sinonasal cancer originated from the use of a plastic steamer. The two most common risk factors are smoking and alcohol use, especially together. Male gender and older age also predispose him towards this type of cancer. Exposure to HPV increases the risk as well. There is an association with inhaled substances, such as various dusts (nickel, flour, wood (drywall, wood sanding), chromium), glue fumes and fumes from various furniture polishes and varnishes. This last one may be what his doctors may have thought was the risk. I suppose it depends the type of plastic of which the steamer was made and whether it is stable under heat. As long as there is water in it and he was not inhaling the air when it went dry and therefore the temperature of the plastic went up, it should be ok. If the plastic in the steamer appears melted that is possible.
I hope that helps, and good wishes for your uncle.
In general, I would say it is unlikely that his sinonasal cancer originated from the use of a plastic steamer. The two most common risk factors are smoking and alcohol use, especially together. Male gender and older age also predispose him towards this type of cancer. Exposure to HPV increases the risk as well. There is an association with inhaled substances, such as various dusts (nickel, flour, wood (drywall, wood sanding), chromium), glue fumes and fumes from various furniture polishes and varnishes. This last one may be what his doctors may have thought was the risk. I suppose it depends the type of plastic of which the steamer was made and whether it is stable under heat. As long as there is water in it and he was not inhaling the air when it went dry and therefore the temperature of the plastic went up, it should be ok. If the plastic in the steamer appears melted that is possible.
I hope that helps, and good wishes for your uncle.
Theoretically possible, would need to know much more history regarding toxic exposures, particulate exposure, exposure to dyes, smoking history, cell type of cancer, presence/absence of diabetes, etc.
