Vaping Leads to Lung Cancer Diagnosis for Young Woman

A young woman began vaping at 15 and by her early 20s, she was diagnosed with lung cancer, given just 18 months to live. Kayleigh Boda, 22, from Manchester, England, was consuming large amounts of e-cigarettes when, in January 2025, she started coughing up a brown substance with what she described as “granular debris.”

Boda, who works in retail, faced a frustrating series of medical visits where doctors dismissed her symptoms as a chest infection—eight times, to be exact—until she started vomiting blood.

After undergoing seven biopsies, she received a lung cancer diagnosis. Boda had surgery to remove the lower lobe of her right lung and went through chemotherapy, achieving a full recovery by February 2026. However, just two months later, she learned the cancer had returned to the lining of her pleura, leading to the grim prognosis.

Now, she’s sharing her experience as a warning to others about the dangers associated with vaping. Boda recalled that she initially dabbled with smoking but switched to vaping and soon started to experience troubling symptoms. She recounted, “A few months after switching from reusable to disposable e-cigs, this brown, granular mucus started appearing.”

The repeated dismissals by doctors were disheartening for her. “They said they were 99% sure I was too young for cancer, so there was no need to worry,” she shared, reflecting on the moment she learned about her diagnosis. “It felt so surreal.”

Prior to her diagnosis, she admitted to being “very naive,” believing such health issues wouldn’t occur to her. Following her surgery and initial recovery, Boda experienced severe complications from chemotherapy, leaving her unable to eat or sleep. The initial relief turned to despair when she learned the cancer had come back. “I’m 22 years old. This shouldn’t happen to someone my age,” she lamented.

Boda attributes her condition to e-cigarettes, noting, “There’s no lung cancer in my family. My symptoms started a few months after I started using disposable e-cigs.” She has stopped vaping for three months and insists her loved ones follow suit: “Please stop vaping; it will catch up with you.” She aims to raise funds for treatment in hopes of extending her life.

Her journey highlights a growing concern over vaping, especially among young adults. As health professionals warn about the associated risks—such as heart disease and exposure to harmful substances—Boda’s story serves as a critical reminder of the potential dangers of this trend.