Vaping Linked to Terminal Lung Cancer in 22-Year-Old Who Started at Age 15
A 22-year-old woman from Manchester has been given just 18 months to live after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer linked to her vaping habit, which began when she was 15 years vintage.
Kayley Boda started vaping as a teenager and was using up to 600 puffs per week from disposable vapes when she began experiencing symptoms in January 2025. She first noticed coughing up brown, grainy mucus, which doctors initially dismissed as a chest infection. After eight visits to medical professionals, she was only taken seriously when she began coughing up blood.
Following seven biopsies, Boda was diagnosed with lung cancer. She underwent surgery to remove the lower lobe of her right lung and received chemotherapy. In February 2026, she was given the all-clear, but just two months later, doctors discovered the cancer had returned in the pleural lining of her lungs.
Medical professionals described the recurrence as extremely rare in someone her age, noting it is typically seen in patients over 80. Boda has since been told she has less than two years to live.
Despite her diagnosis, Boda has used her experience to warn others about the dangers of vaping, particularly the switch from reusable to disposable devices, which she believes triggered her symptoms. Her family is raising funds through a GoFundMe campaign to send her to a clinical trial in Germany in hopes of prolonging her life.
Health experts continue to emphasize that vaping is not a safe alternative to smoking, especially for young people, and can lead to severe respiratory conditions including lung cancer.