Researchers found microplastic particles in most prostate tumor samples examined, with cancerous tissue containing significantly higher concentrations than healthy tissue.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Researchers at NYU Langone Health reported finding microplastic particles in 90% of examined prostate tumor samples, with cancerous tissue containing substantially higher concentrations of plastic than nearby healthy tissue.
The findings were presented during the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium and represent what researchers described as the first Western study to directly compare plastic concentrations in prostate cancer tissue and noncancerous prostate tissue from the same patients.
Scientists analyzed tissue collected from 10 men who underwent complete prostate removal surgery.
According to the study, cancerous tissue contained approximately 40 micrograms of plastic per gram of tissue compared with about 16 micrograms per gram found in nearby benign tissue, representing roughly a 2.5-fold difference.
Researchers detected plastic particles in 90% of tumor samples and 70% of healthy tissue samples.
Lead researcher Dr. Stacy Loeb of NYU Grossman School of Medicine said the study was designed to directly measure microplastic accumulation inside prostate tumors and compare those findings against healthy tissue within the same patients.
To confirm the results, the research team used two separate laboratory techniques.
One method combined visual imaging with Raman microscopy to identify and measure individual plastic particles. A second method, pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, measured the overall quantity of plastic and identified the types of polymers present in the tissue samples.
Researchers said both testing methods independently produced similar findings.
The study team also implemented contamination controls intended to reduce interference from plastics commonly used in medical and laboratory equipment. Researchers substituted aluminum, cotton, and other nonplastic materials while handling tissue samples and conducted analysis inside controlled clean-room environments designed for microplastic research.
“Our pilot study provides important evidence that microplastic exposure may be a risk factor for prostate cancer,” Loeb said.
Researchers suggested chronic inflammation caused by accumulated plastic particles may contribute to cellular damage and genetic changes associated with cancer development.
Study senior author Dr. Vittorio Albergamo of NYU Grossman School of Medicine said earlier studies had already linked microplastics to conditions including cardiovascular disease and dementia, but evidence involving prostate cancer tissue had previously been limited.
The findings follow other recent research involving plastic accumulation in the human body.
A 2024 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found patients with microplastics detected in arterial plaque faced significantly higher risks of serious cardiovascular events.
Researchers involved in the prostate cancer study said plastics enter the body primarily through food, beverages, air inhalation, and skin exposure.
The report identified heated plastic food containers, bottled water, contaminated seafood, synthetic fabrics, cosmetics, and plastic packaging as major exposure sources.
“When plastics from packaging, cookware, cosmetics, and countless other products are exposed to heat, physical wear, or chemical processes, they shed microscopic fragments invisible to the naked eye,” the report stated.
“By uncovering yet another potential health concern posed by plastic, our findings highlight the need for stricter regulatory measures to limit the public’s exposure to these substances, which are everywhere in the environment,” Albergamo said.
Researchers said reducing exposure may involve avoiding heating food in plastic containers and replacing plastic storage products with glass, ceramic, or stainless steel alternatives.
The report also discussed nutritional approaches that may support the body’s detoxification systems, including consumption of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts because of compounds associated with liver detoxification pathways.
The study additionally referenced selenium from Brazil nuts and supplements such as N-acetylcysteine, which may support production of glutathione, an antioxidant involved in cellular protection.
Researchers cautioned that the study involved a limited number of patients and said larger investigations will be necessary to confirm the findings and further examine potential links between microplastic accumulation and prostate cancer development.
The research was funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and involved multiple researchers across departments at NYU Langone Health.