A small study shows that small plastic particles can reach the prostate glands. Traces of plastic have been discovered in nine out of ten people with prostate cancer. The results showed that the concentration of these molecules is higher within tumors compared to the healthy tissues surrounding them.
Doctors found that tumor samples contained approximately two and a half times as much plastic as healthy prostate tissue samples.
The data, which will be presented this week at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Symposium on Genitourinary Cancers, suggests there are about 40 micrograms of plastic per gram of tumor tissue, while there are 16 micrograms per gram in normal prostate tissue.
“There is no direct evidence linking microplastics to prostate cancer,” said Dr. Stacy Loeb of New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, who led the study. However, preliminary data suggests an association with other health problems, such as heart disease and dementia.
“Our pilot study provides important evidence that exposure to microplastic particles may be a risk factor for prostate cancer,” Loeb explained in a statement.
