Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Identification and analysis of microplastics in para-tumor and tumor of human prostate

Researchers detected microplastics in both tumor and surrounding tissue from 22 prostate cancer patients, with polystyrene found exclusively in tumor tissue. Larger microplastic particles were more common in tumors, and higher microplastic levels correlated with more advanced cancer stages, suggesting a potential link between microplastic accumulation and prostate cancer progression.

2024 EBioMedicine 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as emerging carcinogens: from environmental pollutants to oncogenic drivers

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.

2025 Molecular Cancer 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and analysis of microplastics in human penile cancer tissues

Researchers found microplastics in tissue samples from patients with penile cancer, with the most common types being polyethylene, polypropylene, and PVC. Cancerous tissue contained significantly more microplastics and a greater variety of plastic types than nearby healthy tissue, suggesting a possible link between microplastic accumulation and cancer development that needs further investigation.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Role of microplastics in the tumor microenvironment (Review)

This review examines how microplastics may help tumors grow by influencing the environment around cancer cells. Microplastics can interact with immune cells, connective tissue cells, blood vessel cells, and the tissue scaffolding around tumors in ways that may promote cancer progression and inflammation. While more research is needed, the findings raise important questions about whether chronic microplastic exposure could affect cancer development in humans.

2025 Oncology Letters 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and cancer

This review examines evidence linking microplastics to cancer risk, noting that microplastics have been detected at higher concentrations in human tumor tissues than adjacent healthy tissue, and that they can act as vectors for carcinogens while inducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and genotoxicity.

2025 European Journal of Cancer Prevention
Article Tier 2

Characterization of Microplastics in Human Gastric Cancer and Control Tissues and Analysis of Associated Genetic Features

Researchers detected and characterized microplastics in human gastric cancer tissue and adjacent healthy tissue, finding significantly higher microplastic concentrations in cancer tissue, and used transcriptome sequencing to explore potential molecular mechanisms linking microplastic exposure to gastric cancer development.

2025 Advanced Healthcare Materials
Article Tier 2

Microscopic menace: exploring the link between microplastics and cancer pathogenesis

This review examines the growing evidence linking microplastic exposure to cancer development in humans. Microplastics can accumulate in the body and trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and other biological changes associated with tumor growth. While more clinical research is needed, the review highlights that microplastics should be taken seriously as a potential factor in cancer risk.

2025 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro(nano)plastics pollution and human health: How plastics can induce carcinogenesis to humans?

This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics enter the human body through food, water, and air, and how they may contribute to cancer development. Common plastic types like polystyrene and PVC, along with toxic chemicals they carry such as PAHs and PCBs, have been linked to DNA damage, oxidative stress, and inflammation, all of which can promote cancer. The paper highlights that while the evidence is growing, more research is needed to understand the full cancer risk from chronic microplastic exposure.

2022 Chemosphere 367 citations
Article Tier 2

From exposure to oncogenesis: a review on the multifaceted roles of microplastics in tumor initiation and progression

This review examined the evidence linking microplastic exposure to tumor initiation and progression, covering physical, chemical, and inflammatory mechanisms by which MPs may promote oncogenesis. The authors conclude that while current evidence is largely preclinical, accumulating data warrant serious concern about microplastics as environmental carcinogens.

2025 Journal of Translational Medicine
Article Tier 2

Microplastics role in cell migration and distribution during cancer cell division

Researchers exposed human colorectal cancer cells to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics and found the particles persisted inside cells without being eliminated, were passed from parent to daughter cells during division, and significantly increased cell migration -- a key step in cancer spreading. These findings suggest microplastics could act as hidden promoters of tumor progression in the gut, where plastic exposure through food is highest.

2024 Chemosphere 84 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

From Exposure to Oncogenesis: the Role of Microplastics and Associated Pollutants in Cancer - a Literature Review

This literature review examined the growing evidence linking microplastic exposure to cancer development. Microplastics have been found in human lung, liver, and colon tissue, and research suggests they may promote cancer through chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and by carrying known carcinogens like heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants into the body.

2025 International Journal of Innovative Technologies in Social Science
Article Tier 2

Microplastic accumulation in endometrial cancer tissues and its metabolic impact

Researchers examined microplastic levels in endometrial cancer tissues compared to normal tissue and found that cancer tissues contained significantly higher concentrations of plastic particles. The most common plastics detected were polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. Metabolic analysis revealed that microplastic presence was associated with changes in cancer-related metabolic pathways, suggesting that microplastics may play a role in promoting tumor development through metabolic reprogramming.

2025 Environmental Pollution 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Contamination: A Rising Environmental Crisis With Potential Oncogenic Implications

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.

2025 Cureus
Article Tier 2

Microplastic changes during the development of cervical cancer and its effects on the metabolomic profiles of cancer tissues

Researchers found microplastics in cervical cancer tissue, with polyethylene and polypropylene being the most common types, and levels increased as the cancer progressed to more advanced stages. The microplastics appeared to alter the chemical environment within the cancer tissue, suggesting they may play a role in how cervical cancer develops, though more research is needed to confirm a causal link.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 20 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microplastics and Colorectal Cancer: Presence in Human Colorectal Tissues and Associations with Tumor Biology- A Systematic Review

This review of 13 studies found that tiny plastic particles called microplastics are present in human colon tissues, with higher amounts found in cancerous tumors compared to healthy tissue. The research suggests these plastic particles may contribute to colon cancer development by causing inflammation and creating conditions that help tumors grow. While more research is needed to prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship, this highlights growing concerns about how plastic pollution in our environment and food supply might affect human health.

2026
Article Tier 2

Identification and analysis of microplastics in peritumoral and tumor tissues of colorectal cancer

Researchers examined tumor and surrounding tissue from colorectal cancer patients and found a diverse range of microplastics, including PVC and polyethylene, with tumor tissues containing a greater variety and higher distribution of microplastics than adjacent healthy tissue. A protein called clathrin that helps cells absorb materials was highly active in the cancer tissue, suggesting it may facilitate microplastic uptake and pointing to a potential link between microplastic exposure and colorectal cancer development.

2025 Scientific Reports 16 citations
Article Tier 2

The hidden poison - microplastic : Inflammatory catalyst of cancer development

This review discusses how microplastics act as inflammatory agents within biological tissues, summarizing evidence that ingested and inhaled microplastics can trigger oxidative stress, immune responses, and chronic inflammation in humans and animals.

2024 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL PLANT SCIENCES
Article Tier 2

Microplastics: an often-overlooked issue in the transition from chronic inflammation to cancer

This review explores how microplastics that accumulate in the human body may trigger long-lasting inflammation, which is a known driver of cancer development. The authors describe how microplastics can disrupt the gut microbiome, activate immune responses, and alter signaling pathways in ways that could promote tumor growth over time.

2024 Journal of Translational Medicine 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on chemo-resistance and tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer

For the first time, researchers confirmed the presence of microplastics in human colorectal cancer tissue and showed in animal models that microplastics increased cancer rates and made tumors more resistant to chemotherapy drugs. The study found that microplastics trigger a cell survival mechanism called autophagy that helps cancer cells resist treatment, suggesting plastic pollution could complicate cancer outcomes.

2025 APOPTOSIS 18 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

The clinical relevance of microplastic exposure on colorectal cancer: A systematic review

This systematic review of four studies found that microplastic accumulation in colorectal cancer tissue (25.9-32.2 particles/g) was significantly higher than in healthy controls, with polyamide, polycarbonate, and polypropylene as the most common polymers detected. While a causal relationship has not been established, the evidence points to microplastics as a potential environmental factor in colorectal cancer development.

2025 Cancer Epidemiology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Cancer Progression: Biology and Public Health

This review examines emerging evidence that microplastics and nanoplastics may contribute to cancer-related processes by crossing biological barriers and accumulating in tissues. The study highlights that these particles can cause oxidative stress, inflammation, DNA damage, and barrier dysfunction at the cellular level, and may promote tumor-supporting processes including angiogenesis and immune evasion.

2025 Biomedicines 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluating the relationship between microplastics and nanoplastics contamination and diverse cancer types development

This review examines growing evidence that micro- and nanoplastics found in human tissues may contribute to cancer development through several pathways. These tiny particles can generate harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species, cause chronic inflammation, and disrupt cell growth signals, all of which are known to promote cancer. While long-term, high-level exposure likely poses the greatest risk, more research is needed to understand the full cancer-related dangers of microplastic exposure.

2025 Environmental Pollution 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and Cancer: A Comprehensive Review of Their Impact on Tumor Progression and Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis

This comprehensive review examines the growing body of evidence linking microplastic exposure to various types of cancer, including colorectal, lung, liver, and breast cancers. Researchers found that microplastics and nanoplastics may promote tumor progression through mechanisms including oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and disruption of cellular signaling pathways. While the evidence is still emerging, the study highlights the need for further research into the potential cancer-related risks of widespread microplastic exposure.

2025 Journal of Environmental Pathology Toxicology and Oncology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and prostate cancer.

Scientists found tiny plastic particles called microplastics in prostate tissue from 9 out of 10 men with prostate cancer, with higher amounts in cancerous tissue compared to healthy tissue. While this small study doesn't prove that microplastics cause cancer, it suggests these particles from everyday plastic items may accumulate in our bodies and could potentially play a role in disease. More research is needed to understand if microplastics truly increase cancer risk or if they're just more likely to build up in already-diseased tissue.

2026 Journal of Clinical Oncology