Microplastics Found in Prostate Cancer Tumors

A new study led by researchers at NYU Langone Health and NYU Langone Health===New York University Grossman School of Medicine found small fragments of plastic, known as microplastics, in nine out of ten prostate cancer patients. The study revealed that cancerous tissue contained, on average, 2.5 times more plastic than healthy prostate tissue. This pilot study, presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, is the first Western assessment to examine microplastic levels in prostate tumors and compare them with noncancerous tissue. Lead author Stacy Loeb and senior author Vittorio Albergamo highlighted the need for stricter regulatory measures to limit public exposure to plastics, suggesting microplastic exposure may be a risk factor for prostate cancer. The research, funded by the United States===United States Department of Defense, plans to further investigate how microplastics contribute to cancer development, possibly through inflammation.