The pathway proposed by these results is as follows:

Nicotine and NNK activate the PKB pathway through nAchRs, increasing cellular survival and proliferation. This means that not only do the approximately 40 carcinogens found in cigarette smoke promote cancer through DNA damage, but the nicotine itself promotes cancer formation. Based on this information, it can be assumed that nicotine supplements such as gums and patches themselves may promote cancer as well. Also, the discovery that specific nAchRs are involved in PKB activation may lead to therapeutic applications for prevention of lung cancers in smokers. The discovery that all nicotine can activate cancer may also have implications on the role of nicotine supplements as well.