Patients diagnosed with lung cancer found to have more microplastic in their lungs
People with lung cancer are more likely to have microplastics in their lungs and to have larger quantities of microplastics in their lungs, according to research that will be presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
A study presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Spain reveals that patients with lung cancer are more likely to have higher levels of microplastics in their lungs compared to those without cancer. Researchers from University College Dublin and the University of Thessaly analyzed 100 patients undergoing bronchoscopies, finding microplastics in 70% of the samples.
Polypropylene and polyethylene were the most common types of plastic detected. While the study does not establish a direct causal link between microplastics and lung cancer, it raises concerns about the potential health impacts of environmental plastic pollution. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms and implications of this association.
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