Microplastics linked to higher lung cancer rates in new study

Research presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona suggests a potential link between microplastics in lung tissue and the presence of lung cancer. The study indicates that microplastics can penetrate the human body through inhaled air and may contribute to pulmonary diseases.

The investigation involved 100 patients undergoing bronchoscopy at the University Hospital of Larisa in Greece. Among the participants, 50 were diagnosed with lung cancer while 50 were not. Researchers identified a total of 232 microplastic particles across the samples, with 70% of patients showing detectable microplastics.

Dr. Ilias Dimeas, representing University College Dublin and the University of Thessaly, noted that while microplastics are an inevitable part of the environment, much remains unknown regarding their behavior once they enter the human body, including how they lodge in organs and their specific role in developing pathologies.