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Association of Blood Levels of Forever Plastics with Lung Cancer Mortality among Ever Smokers in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cohort Study.
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Researchers found that smokers with higher blood levels of certain "forever chemicals" (PFAS, found in things like nonstick cookware and water-resistant products) and a plastic-softening chemical had nearly double the risk of dying from lung cancer compared to those with the lowest levels—even though these chemicals weren't linked to a higher chance of developing lung cancer in the first place. This suggests that for smokers who already have lung cancer, exposure to these common industrial chemicals might make the disease more deadly, highlighting another reason to reduce contact with them where possible.
PURPOSE: Recent evidence suggests a significant association between microplastic (MP), forever chemicals, and plasticizers and various diseases, including cancer. In this study, we evaluated circulating levels of plastic-associated chemicals in relation to lung cancer incidence and mortality among smokers in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) study. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Using mass spectrometry, we screened for 29 known MP, forever plastics [per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)], and plasticizer chemicals in 245 sera collected preceding a lung cancer diagnosis and 1,200 noncase sera from participants in the PLCO study who had a history of smoking. Five PFAS and three plasticizers were detected and quantified in sera. A PFAP model, consisting of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) + perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHA) + mono-iso-nonyl phthalate, was developed for predicting lung cancer mortality and risk strata based on quantiles established. RESULTS: Higher circulating levels of PFOS, PFHA, and mono-iso-nonyl phthalate were associated with increased risk of lung cancer death (P < 0.05) but not incidence. Compared with the lowest quantile (reference), individuals with PFAP scores in the highest quantile were at markedly higher risk of death from lung cancer (P < 0.0001), with respective cause-specific and subdistributional HR of 1.86 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.18-2.93] and 1.82 (95% CI, 1.15-2.88). Substratified analyses confirmed that the PFAP model remained an independent predictor of lung cancer-specific mortality (P < 0.05) across strata defined by age, sex, smoking history, histologic subtype, and stage at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: In the PLCO cohort, elevated levels of PFOS, PFHA, and mono-iso-nonyl phthalate were associated with increased lung cancer mortality among ever smokers across disease subgroups.
More Papers Like This
Data from Association of Blood Levels of Forever Plastics with Lung Cancer Mortality among Ever Smokers in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cohort Study
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that smokers with higher blood levels of certain "forever chemicals" (PFAS, found in nonstick coatings and water-resistant products) and a chemical from plastics called phthalates were nearly twice as likely to die from lung cancer compared to those with lower levels — even though these chemicals didn't seem to affect whether someone got lung cancer in the first place. This suggests that everyday exposure to these persistent chemicals might make lung cancer more deadly once it develops, which is important since PFAS and phthalates are common in food packaging, cookware, and personal care products, and are already hard to avoid entirely
Supplementary Tables S1-S38 from Association of Blood Levels of Forever Plastics with Lung Cancer Mortality among Ever Smokers in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cohort Study
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Researchers looked at "forever chemicals" (PFAS) and plastic-related chemicals in the blood of longtime smokers and found that higher levels of these substances were linked to a greater risk of dying from lung cancer, even after accounting for smoking habits. This suggests that everyday exposure to these persistent chemicals—found in things like nonstick cookware, food packaging, and water-resistant products—may add to cancer risk on top of smoking, making it another reason to reduce contact with these chemicals when possible.
Higher respiratory microplastic burden in patients with lung malignancy: A prospective bronchoscopy study.
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Researchers examined lung fluid and tissue samples from 100 adults undergoing bronchoscopy, comparing 50 patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer to 50 without. Suspected microplastic particles were found in most patients, and were more common and numerous in those with lung malignancy, even after accounting for age, sex and smoking history.
Plastics in Every Breath: The Silent Respiratory Health Threat We Cannot Avoid
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Inhalation of micro- and nanoplastics is unavoidable and has been linked to lung epithelial toxicity, while plastic-associated chemicals are tied to lung cancer risk — yet quantifying in vivo exposure remains technically challenging due to thermal degradation during detection. This highlights an urgent need for non-destructive detection methods and biodegradable plastic alternatives to reduce respiratory health risks.
Microplastic Accumulation in the Human Lung: Distinct Signatures in Lung Cancer vs Normal Tissue
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Scientists found tiny plastic particles (from things like packaging and bottles) in all the lung tissue samples they studied, both cancerous and healthy. Cancer samples tended to have more plastic bits, especially smaller fiber-shaped pieces made of common plastics like polypropylene and PET, but this was a small study, so it can't yet prove plastics cause cancer, just that they're worth investigating further. Bottom line: this adds to growing evidence that microplastics are showing up in our bodies, and researchers want to know if they're contributing to lung disease.
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