Carcinogenic potential of in vitro carbon dioxide laser exposure of fibroblast

Increasing clinical use of the CO2 laser in gynecology has been valuable for both external genital and internal reproductive problems. Long-term safety effects of the CO2 laser are investigated in the present study. Fibroblasts grown in tissue culture were exposed to the CO2 laser. They were then grown for nine future generations and scored for possible malignant transformation. Results of the study show that the CO2 laser does not produce a greater incidence of malignant transformation than normal controls. Therefore, in laboratory cells, the CO2 laser appears to be noncarcinogenic.