Microplastics Found in Men’s Reproductive System
Microplastics are everywhere. In food packaging, personal care products, plastic bags, waterproof clothing, and more. When they break down, we eat and drink them, we even breathe them in and absorb them through our skin.
Studying Prostate Cancer
Scientists are studying how exposure to these plastics can lead to cancer. In a small study out of NYU Langone Health, researchers looked at the role of microplastics in prostate cancer tumors.
The researchers evaluated men with prostate cancer who were undergoing surgery to remove the entire prostate. They found 2.5 times the amount of plastic in prostate cancer tumors than in healthy prostate tissue.
Stacy Loeb, MD, the study’s lead author, said that “Our pilot study provides important evidence that microplastic exposure may be a risk factor for prostate cancer,” in a news release.
Prostate Cancer Facts
The American Cancer Society estimates that 333,830 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year. Your risk increases with age, and it is rare in men under 40. The average age at diagnosis is 67. If you have a brother or a dad who has been diagnosed, you may be at higher risk. You can get a simple blood test to assess your risk.
Men who carry the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, known to increase the risk of breast cancer in women, are also linked to prostate cancer in men, especially BRCA2, according to ACS.