The effectiveness of the gum is based on its ability to absorb the specific carcinogen (acetaldehyde) that forms in the mouth when smoking.
Further research and trials are needed to determine its ultimate effectiveness. These will soon get underway, says Professor Mikko Salaspuro from the University of Helsinki. The gum, known as kystelin, could be on sale later this year, reports the newspaper Etelä-Suomen Sanomat.
The gum has been developed by researchers from both the University of Helsinki and the Helsinki University Central Hospital.
A similar preparation in tablet form is also being developed for heavy users of alcohol. They are particularly at risk from oral cancer owing to the presence of acetaldehyde. A tablet which would be attached to the gum would remove the carcinogen within two to three hours.
Estimates show that 80% of all incidences of oral, throat and oesophageal cancers in the industrialised world are caused by a combination of tobacco and alcohol.
YLE24, Etelä-Suomen Sanomat