Javier Molina Cerrillo, Attending Physician in Medical Oncology at Hospital Ramón y Cajal, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Microplastics are no longer just an environmental concern and may also represent an emerging challenge in genitourinary oncology.
In this newly published review in Communications Medicine, we explore the growing evidence linking micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) to prostate, bladder, and renal cancers. While a direct causal relationship has not yet been established, accumulating data suggest biologically plausible mechanisms including chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and endocrine disruption.
Notably, microplastics have now been detected in human prostate and bladder tumor tissues, raising important questions about environmental exposures and cancer development.
The review also highlights the other side of the story: engineered polymeric nanoparticles are becoming increasingly important tools for targeted drug delivery, immunotherapy, and precision treatment in genitourinary cancers.
As researchers and clinicians, we are faced with a fascinating paradox, plastics may be both a potential contributor to cancer risk and a vehicle for improving cancer treatment.
Read the full article to learn more about this evolving field and its implications for GU oncology.”