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Microplastics: An Emerging Carcinogen in the Human Body
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This review paper summarizes existing research on microplastics entering the human body through skin, nose, and mouth, with particles detected in faeces, blood, lungs, and placenta. The reviewed studies report that microplastics disrupt cell functions, inflammation, and other processes linked to toxicity and cancer development.
Microplastic (MP) contamination is a significant environmental issue that poses a threat to human health. There is a notable increase in the emissions of these particles yearly. MPs enter the human body through skin, nose, and mouth, and can be found in faeces, circulation, lower respiratory tract, and placenta. Exposure to MPs disrupts cellular epigenetic controls, inflammatory responses, redox reactions and homeostasis. MP-induced toxicity and genotoxicity cause the formation of cancer and various chronic diseases. This section discusses current toxicological findings and causal effect mechanisms in detail to reveal the relationship between microplastics and human health and tumorigenesis.
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Microplastics in the Human Body: Exposure, Detection, and Risk of Carcinogenesis: A State-of-the-Art Review
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This review summarizes how microplastics enter the human body through the digestive tract, lungs, and skin, then accumulate in tissues where they may contribute to obesity, diabetes, and even cancer. Of particular concern are toxic chemicals like phthalates and bisphenols that are added to plastics during manufacturing and can be released inside the body after microplastics are absorbed.
The alarming link between environmental microplastics and health hazards with special emphasis on cancer
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This review describes how microplastics enter the human body through the nose, skin, and mouth, then penetrate cells where they can alter gene expression, fuel inflammation, disrupt hormone signaling, and promote uncontrolled cell growth. Studies have linked microplastic exposure to cancers of the lungs, blood, breast, prostate, and ovaries, though the precise molecular mechanisms still need further investigation.
Microplastic Contamination: A Rising Environmental Crisis With Potential Oncogenic Implications
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This review examines how microplastics detected in human tissues — blood, placenta, and organs — may act as vectors for carcinogens, including adsorbed heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants, and discusses emerging evidence linking MP accumulation to oncogenic processes.
Micro(Nano)Plastics as Carriers of Toxic Agents and Their Impact on Human Health
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This review compiles evidence on how micro- and nanoplastics act as carriers of potentially toxic agents and enter the human body through inhalation, ingestion, and dermal absorption. Evidence indicates that continuous exposure to these particles can lead to bioaccumulation and negative health alterations, with recent research detecting microplastics even in human placental tissue.
Microplastics as emerging carcinogens: from environmental pollutants to oncogenic drivers
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This review examines growing evidence that microplastics and nanoplastics may play a role in cancer development, with these particles found in human tumor tissues from the lungs, colon, stomach, breast, and other organs. The particles appear to promote cancer through chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disruption of key cancer-related signaling pathways. While direct proof of causation in humans is still lacking, the accumulating evidence from lab studies, animal experiments, and human tissue analysis suggests microplastics deserve serious attention as potential contributors to cancer risk.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.