Microplastics Abound in Prostate Tumors

Plastic has turned up in an unexpected place: inside most of the prostate tumors examined in a new study. NYU Langone Health researchers report finding microplastics in nine of 10 prostate cancers they analyzed—and at concentrations about 2.5 times higher than in nearby noncancerous tissue. The small pilot study, based on samples from 10 men undergoing prostate removal, will be presented at an American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting on Thursday. It is billed as the first Western research to directly compare plastic levels in prostate tumors and healthy prostate tissue, per ScienceDaily.

The team took stringent steps to avoid contamination with plastic used in labs, using nonplastic tools and carrying out testing in rooms designed for microplastic analysis. “Our pilot study provides important evidence that microplastic exposure may be a risk factor for prostate cancer,” study lead author Stacy Loeb said in a news release. One theory: The particles may spur long-lasting inflammation that promotes cancer development.

Loeb, a professor in the NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Departments of Urology and Population, says other research found possible links between microplastics and dementia and heart disease, but there was little evidence before now linking them to prostate cancer. Researchers stress the sample size is limited and larger studies are needed, but say the findings add to calls for tighter controls on plastic exposure.

• Stanford University School of Medicine urology professor Michael Eisenberg, who wasn’t involved in the study, tells NBC News that while the study doesn’t establish cause and effect, “we are finding many signals about the astonishing prevalences of micro/nanoplastics and the concerning associations with health problems.”