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Micro- and nanoplastics in the human genitourinary system: oncological impact – a systematic review
Original title: Micro‐ and nanoplastics in the human genitourinary system: oncological impact – a systematic review
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Tiny plastic particles called micro- and nanoplastics have been found throughout the human urinary and male reproductive systems, including in the kidneys, prostate, testes, and bladder. This review of 14 studies found that tumor tissue in these organs consistently had more plastic particles than the healthy tissue right next to it, hinting that plastic exposure could play a role in cancer development—though more standardized research is needed to confirm a direct cause-and-effect link.
OBJECTIVES: To systematically assess the prevalence, distribution, and quantitative burden of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) in human tissues of the urinary tract and male reproductive organs, with particular attention to their potential oncological implications. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Scopus was performed to identify human observational studies reporting detection and/or quantification of MNPs in the urinary tract and male reproductive organs. Risk of bias was assessed in the included studies. RESULTS: A total of 14 cross-sectional human studies were included. MNPs were detected across all investigated tissues, including the kidney, prostate, testis, penis, ureter, and, incidentally, the urinary bladder. All studies comparing malignant and adjacent non-malignant tissues (kidney, prostate, and penis) consistently reported significantly higher microplastic concentrations, particle counts or greater polymer diversity in tumour tissue. Considerable heterogeneity was observed across studies with respect to analytical techniques, digestion protocols, and reporting metrics. CONCLUSIONS: Micro- and nanoplastics are widely present in tissues of the urinary tract and male reproductive system and show consistent enrichment in urological malignancies compared with adjacent non-malignant tissue, suggesting potential oncological relevance. Substantial methodological heterogeneity currently limits comparability across studies, underscoring the need for standardised analytical approaches to advance research in this field.
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