Microplastics found in 9 out of 10 men diagnosed with prostate cancer: Study

ISTANBUL

A new study discovered microplastic particles in nine out of 10 men diagnosed with prostate cancer, Science Daily reported on Wednesday.

The study was conducted at one of the US' premier academic medical centers, NYU Langone Health, including its Perlmutter Cancer Center and the Center for the Investigation of Environmental Hazards.

Researchers wanted to know whether exposure to microplastics could contribute to the development of prostate cancer, which the American Cancer Society describes as the most frequently diagnosed cancer among men in the US.

Plastics found in food packaging, cosmetics, and many everyday items can degrade into tiny particles. These microscopic fragments may enter the body through ingestion, inhalation of polluted air, or skin contact.

The team analyzed prostate tissue samples from 10 men who underwent surgery to remove the prostate gland. Microplastic particles were detected in 90% of cancerous tissue samples and 70% of noncancerous samples.

The concentration difference was significant: tumor tissues contained roughly 2.5 times more plastic than healthy tissues, about 40 micrograms per gram compared with 16 micrograms per gram.

"Our pilot study provides important evidence that microplastic exposure may be a risk factor for prostate cancer," said lead author Stacy Loeb, a professor in the Departments of Urology and Population Health at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

Loeb emphasized that this is the first study conducted in a Western population to quantify microplastic levels in prostate tumors and directly compare them with levels found in noncancerous prostate tissue.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately one in eight men in the US will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis during their lifetime.