WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A new study has found that tiny plastic particles were present in 9 out of 10 men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Researchers also discovered that these particles were found in higher amounts inside cancerous tumors compared to nearby healthy prostate tissue.
For the study, scientists examined tissue samples from 10 men, with an average age of 65, who had prostate cancer and whose prostates were surgically removed as part of their treatment. They also studied healthy tissue taken from another part of the same prostate.
The researchers first looked at the tissue under a microscope. They then used special tools to measure how much plastic was present, what it was made of, and its structure. The team focused on 12 of the most commonly used types of plastic.
Since plastic is widely used in medical and lab equipment, the scientists took extra care to avoid contamination. They replaced plastic tools with alternatives made from aluminum, cotton, and other non-plastic materials. All tests were conducted in specially controlled clean rooms.
Published at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, the results showed that microplastics were found in 90 percent of the cancerous tumors and 70 percent of the healthy tissue samples. On average, cancerous tissue contained 2.5 times more plastic, about 40 micrograms per gram of tissue, than noncancerous tissue.
'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,' concluded study senior author Vittorio Albergamo.
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