Does PFAS in your blood from cookware increase your risk of dying from lung cancer?

What's actually in it

PFAS accumulate in blood from nonstick cookware, stain-resistant coatings, PFAS-treated food packaging, and contaminated drinking water. Once absorbed, they stay in blood and tissue for years to decades.

PFAS are already classified as probable human carcinogens for several cancer types including kidney and testicular cancer. The lung cancer link adds another dimension to that concern.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Environmental Research analyzed blood PFAS levels and lung cancer mortality in a large US population cohort. People with higher PFAS concentrations in blood had significantly higher rates of dying from lung cancer, even after accounting for smoking, which is the dominant lung cancer risk factor.

The association was independent of smoking status. Non-smokers with high PFAS levels had higher lung cancer mortality than non-smokers with low PFAS levels. This tells us PFAS are adding to lung cancer risk on top of whatever other risk factors are present.

The researchers found the strongest associations with PFOS and PFOA, both historically used in nonstick and stain-resistant products and still present in the blood of most Americans from past exposure. Newer PFAS substitutes used in current cookware weren't studied as they're more recent, but their structural similarity suggests similar risks.