Off The Record

Researchers Believe They May Have Discovered The Cause Of A Large Number Of Inexplicable Cancers

Published on January 10, 2025

Numerous malignancies that cannot be explained by diet, lifestyle, or genetics may have a potential cause, according to a significant scientific analysis.

Following an analysis of over 3,000 papers on microplastics, scientists came to the conclusion that these microscopic pollutants are connected to infertility, lung and colon cancer, and other lung conditions.

That may be important because colon cancers are on the rise, particularly in young individuals who are not typically at risk, in contrast to dozens of other malignancies that are on the decline.

Similarly, non-tobacco-related lung cancers are increasing, a development that has equally perplexed specialists.

Consumer products such as food containers, clothing toys, packaging, cigarette filters, and tires can leak microplastics, which are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm in diameter.

In addition to being present in almost every major human organ, they have contaminated the air we breathe, the food we consume, and the water we drink. When the immune system perceives them as an alien invader, they induce widespread inflammation.

Numerous health issues, like as liver and heart inflammation and tissue damage, can result from this, and over time, buildup in the body can cause irreversible harm.

Exposure to microplastics is’suspected’ to contribute to lung cancer, ovarian function, colon cancer, sperm quality, and respiratory disorders, according to the California researchers.

According to estimates, exposure to microplastics costs the US healthcare system $289 billion a year. Previous research has even found the chemicals in people’s brains and a woman’s placenta.

“The extent of human health impacts due to microplastic exposure is of great concern due to ubiquitous exposure and bioaccumulative characteristics of microplastics,” the UC researchers wrote, adding that plastic output is predicted to triple by 2060.

Approximately 3,000 animal and human studies that examined a relationship between exposure to microplastics and health effects in the respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems were examined in the review, which was published earlier this month in ACS Publications Environmental Science & Technology.

Because the microscopic particles damage the colon’s protective mucus layer and may encourage the growth of tumors, the research revealed a high correlation between microplastics, alterations in the digestive system, and colon cancer.

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“We concluded that exposure to microplastics is “suspected” to have an adverse impact on the human colon and small intestine,” the researchers said.

Additionally, microplastics are’suspected’ to have a detrimental effect on the intestinal immune system, induce chronic inflammation, and cause intestinal cell death.

Using the main characteristics of carcinogens approach, researchers concluded that exposure to microplastics is “suspected” to be a digestive hazard to humans, including a suspected relation to colon cancer.

Because microplastics may alter the hormonal balance in the reproductive system, harming the quantity and quality of sperm in males and impairing the function of the ovaries and placenta in females, they are also thought to have an effect on fertility.

Microplastics found in the placenta were linked to low birth weight in one study, while particles found in amniotic fluid were linked to preterm birth in another.

Additionally, exposure to microplastics is associated with poor ovarian growth and function.

Additionally, the review said: “We concluded that exposure to microplastics is “suspected” to adversely impact sperm quality and testicular health in humans.”

Additionally, the UC team found that microplastics cause inflammation in the airways, which is linked to impaired lung function.

The particles raise the risk of lung cancer by causing lung damage and persistent pulmonary inflammation.

The researchers added: “Across the outcomes that were fully evaluated, we identified that exposure to microplastics is “suspected” to be a hazard to the human respiratory system.”

Senior author Tracey J. Woodruff, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at UCSF, commented on the findings, saying: “We know this type of air pollution is harmful, and these microplastics are basically particulate matter air pollution.”

The researchers wrote: “Microplastics are widespread and mobile in the environment, being detected in air, surface water, costal beaches, sediment, and food.”

They have been found in isolated and pristine places, including the Arctic sea ice, deep ocean tunnels, and the Antarctic.

“Microplastics have been measured in human placenta, breastmilk, and liver; their small size makes it easier for them to enter and spread throughout the human body than larger particles.”

Nearly 460 million metric tons of plastic are produced annually by businesses worldwide. By 2050, the number is expected to rise to 1.1 billion.

The study is the first to use gold-standard techniques authorized by the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a comprehensive review of microplastics.

Although the majority of the review’s studies were conducted on animals, the researchers noted that as people and animals are exposed to many of the same things, the findings probably also apply to humans.

The study builds on a report the researchers and the California State Policy Evidence Consortium (CalSPEC) produced last year.

The Consortium offers evidence to California State Legislature policymakers and comprises professionals from within the UC system.

“We urge regulatory agencies and policy leaders to consider the growing evidence of health harms from microplastics, including colon and lung cancer,” said Nicholas Chartres, PhD.

The original author of the paper, Chartres, is currently at the University of Sydney and was the head of PRHE’s scientific and policy division.

“We hope state leaders will take immediate action to prevent further exposures.”