Published Jan 4, 2025

Microplastic Exposure Is Linked To Colon Cancer, The Disease Actor James Van Der Beek Is Battling, As Well As Lung Cancer & Reproductive Issues; According To New Study

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Understanding Cancer Risk

New research, published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology and based off of a rapid systematic review, is linking microplastic exposure to disruptions in the colon [digestive system], lungs [respiratory system], and reproductive health.
The study authors conclude, “Future research on microplastics should investigate additional health outcomes impacted by microplastic exposure and identify strategies to reduce exposure. Governments at all levels of jurisdiction (federal, state, and local) should take immediate action to mitigate exposure from microplastics.”
Additionally, the National Cancer Institute states that a whopping 93% of all human cancers are non-hereditary, meaning they are caused by “interaction with environmental factors.” The lifestyle factors are listed to include “cigarette smoking, diet (fried foods, red meat), alcohol, sun exposure, environmental pollutants, infections, stress, obesity, and physical inactivity.”
To be clear, more data is needed to provide direct and incontrovertible, causal, links between environmental chemicals, microplastics, and cancer. Responsible cancer doctors are always very quick to point out the need for studies to be independently reviewed by others in the field and be reproducible and confirmable in order to determine a casual link.

Understanding whether microplastics cause cancer is yet another great debate—and now, a new study is linking microplastic exposure to disruptions in the colon [digestive system], lungs [respiratory system], and reproductive health. It’s also “suspecting” a possible link lung cancer and colon cancer, the disease “Dawson’s Creek” star James Van Der Beek has been battling since August 2023.

‘Dawson’s Creek’s James Van De Beek Is a Poster Child For Getting Screen Early For Colorectal Cancer— If No Family History, Guidelines Say Start Testing at Age 45

Microplastics are, according to an article shared in PubMed, “synthetic solid particles or polymeric matrices, with regular or irregular shape and with size ranging from 1 μm to 5 mm, of either primary or secondary manufacturing origin, which are insoluble in water,” and contain two types of chemicals, “additives and polymeric raw materials” that originate in the plastics and “chemicals absorbed from the surrounding ambience.”

New research, published last month in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, obtained its findings through a rapid systematic review, using their databases in July 2022 and April 2024.

As for how they obtained their results, the researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, (USCF) said they “included studies using predefined eligibility criteria that quantitatively examined the association of microplastic exposure with any health outcomes,” adding, “We amended the eligibility criteria after screening studies and prioritized digestive, reproductive, and respiratory outcomes for further evaluation.”

They wrote in their conclusion, “microplastics are ‘suspected’ to harm human reproduction and digestive and respiratory health, with a suggested link to colon cancer.

“Future research on microplastics should investigate additional health outcomes impacted by microplastic exposure and identify strategies to reduce exposure. Governments at all levels of jurisdiction (federal, state, and local) should take immediate action to mitigate exposure from microplastics.”

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When it comes to microplastics and their effect on the respiratory system, lead study author, Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, MPH, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at UCSF, said in a statement, “These microplastics are basically particulate matter air pollution, and we know this type of air pollution is harmful.

Another lead researcher in the study, Nicholas Chartres, said, “We urge regulatory agencies and policy leaders to consider the growing evidence of health harms from microplastics, including colon and lung cancer.”

As for reproductive health, the study authors concluded that “exposure to microplastics is ‘suspected’ to adversely impact sperm quality and testicular health in humans on the basis of (a) the ‘high’ quality of the body of evidence.”

The authors suggest microplastics can be linked to both male and female infertility.

They explain, “For reproductive outcomes (female follicles and reproductive hormones), digestive outcomes (gross or microanatomic colon/small intestine effects, alters cell proliferation and cell death, and chronic inflammation), and respiratory outcomes (pulmonary function, lung injury, chronic inflammation, and oxidative stress) we rated the overall body of evidence as ‘moderate’ quality and concluded microplastic exposure is ‘suspected’ to adversely impact them.”

Earlier this year, another study, published in Toxicological Sciences, looked into microplastics and how they affect male reproductive organs. Researchers involved in the study looked into 12 different microplastic types in dog and human testicle samples, ultimately finding microplastics in all testis analyzed, raising concerns on reproduction.

Link Between Plastic & Cancer Risk

It’s important to point out that using plastic does not directly “cause” cancer, but studies are still being conducted whether there is a link between using these materials, such as plastic water bottles, and increased risk of a cancer diagnosis.

“The way the plastic chemicals work is they’re referred to as endocrine disrupters, so they’re not carcinogens in the traditional sense of causing mutation,” Dr. Robert Wright, chair of the Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health at Mount Sinai, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.

Endocrine refers to hormones and endocrine disrupters work by changing the way the hormones work. “So the ability of your body to respond appropriately to a damaged, mutated cell is affected,” Dr. Wright explained. “So, endocrine disrupters can affect that part of your body’s response and potentially increase your risk of cancer.”

While there is no definitive answer yet about whether these single-use plastics cause cancer, Dr. Wright says that it’s a subject that’s being seriously studied in order to find evidence behind the myth.

Dr. Sagar Lonial explains how we can prioritize cancer prevention

The Health Effects of BPA, a Chemical Found In Plastic

BPA, or bisphenol A, is an industrial chemical used to make polycarbonate, a hard, clear plastic, which is used in many consumer products, and can be found in microplastics. BPA is also found in epoxy resins, which act as a protective lining on the inside of some metal-based food and beverage cans. The chemical is highly ubiquitous — so much so that researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control found that nearly everyone has at least some of it in their body.

But general exposure to BPA at low levels comes from eating food or drinking water stored in containers that have BPA. While in 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of BPA in plastic sippy cups given to infants — the ban came after a study suggested that the chemical could interfere with early childhood development — it’s even more unclear what the effect is when transferred by touch.

The cancer link question was raised after researchers found that BPA “may mimic the hormone estrogen,” which, in theory, could increase the risk of breast, ovarian, uterine and prostate cancers. The CDC’s official fact sheet reads, “BPA has been shown to affect the reproductive systems of laboratory animals. More research is needed to understand the human health effects of exposure to BPA.”

Meanwhile, there is some debate as to whether BPA increases the risk of cancer.

“There’s no hard evidence that BPA increases cancer risk in adults or children,” Dr. Therese Bevers, medical director of the Cancer Prevention Center at the MD Anderson Cancer Center previously shared in an MD Anderson blog post.

But Dr. Katherine Reeves, a University of Massachusetts epidemiologist who has researched BPA’s correlation with breast cancer in animals, previously told Bloomberg that “It’s definitely a concern.” She said other research suggests it may be associated with autism, obesity and hormone-linked cancers.

Of course, “our understanding of what causes cancer is always evolving,” Dr. Bevers also said, echoing what Dr. Jay Shah, a urologist at Stanford Health, told SurvivorNet in a previous conversation about whether manicures cause cancer (they don’t).

Dr. Jay Shah of Stanford Health spoke with SurvivorNet about how our understanding of chemicals that “cause cancer” is constantly evolving — and how getting a manicure, for example, should not be cause for worry.

“Twenty, 30, 40 years ago, we didn’t know as much about these things,” Dr. Shah said, referring to chemicals that could potentially increase cancer risk. “So a lot of times, the patients have exposures when they were younger to these kinds of chemicals, and there’s not a specific one right answer for everybody.”

Understanding Colon Cancer & Risk Factors Associated With It

Colorectal cancer happens when polyps are not removed and become cancerous. It can take up to 10 years for a colon polyp to become cancerous, according to SurvivorNet experts.

“We know that colon cancers can be prevented when polyps are found early,” Dr. Heather Yeo, a surgical oncologist who specializes in colorectal cancers at Weill Cornell Medicine, told SurvivorNet.

“Lowering the screening age helps somewhat with this, but access to care is a real problem,” Dr. Yeo added.

Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal cancer surgeon and Director of the Cedars-Sinai Colorectal Cancer Center, previously explained the colonoscopy procedure to SurvivorNet, saying, “When we see a polyp, we actually physically take the polyp out through the colonoscope.

“What does that mean? That means we basically put a wire through with a little bit of a flange at the end, and we pull the polyp out. Now, note there is no pain with that. Inside the colon, there are no pain fibers. So, there’s no pain.”

The advantage of a colonoscopy is that your doctor can remove any polyps found during the test. Many colon cancers can be caught on colonoscopy before they develop or when the polyps are small enough to be removed without surgery.

Looking for Polyps During Colonoscopy

The American Gastrointestinal Association lowered the recommended initial age for a colorectal screening from 50 to 45.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends guidelines that state colon cancer screenings should begin at 45 years old. This is in response to the increase we see in colon cancer diagnoses in younger adults.

However, many insurance companies still do not cover the cost of screenings for those under 50. In the past, the disease had predominantly been found in adults 50 years or older, but for those predisposed to getting it at a younger age, these new guidelines could help catch it earlier.

For some people, certain risk factors can influence their risk of getting colon cancer. They include the following:

Are older. About 90% of cases are in people aged 50 or older, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). Yet it is possible to get this cancer earlier in life.
Have inflammatory bowel disease. Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis can, over time, cause cells in your intestines to turn cancerous.
Have a family history of this cancer. Just under one-third of people who get colon cancer have family members with the disease.
Have a gene mutation. About 5% of colorectal cancers are caused by an inherited genetic mutation that causes syndromes such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome).
Don’t exercise very often. Staying active can lower your risk.
Eat a diet that’s high in meat. Regularly eating red meats like burgers and steaks, and processed meats such as hot dogs and bacon might put you at higher risk. Eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains instead might lower your risk.
You are overweight or obese. Having too much weight increases your risk of both getting colon cancer and dying from it.
Drink a lot of alcohol. Limiting alcohol to one drink daily for women and two drinks daily for men could help lower your risk.
Use tobacco. Long-term smokers are more likely to get this cancer than nonsmokers.

Smoking and Lung Cancer Risk

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths for men and women in the United States. Nonsmokers still get lung cancer, but cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor for the disease. Tobacco smoke contains a mixture of more than 7,000 different chemicals, at least 70 of which are known to cause cancer, the CDC says.

The CDC says cigarette smoking is linked to about 80 to 90 percent of lung cancer deaths, and people who smoke cigarettes are 15 to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer or die from lung cancer than people who don’t smoke. Additionally, second-hand smoke can cause lung cancer.

WATCH: How Smokers and Non-smokers Differ

Smoking is, of course, the primary cause of lung cancer, but nonsmokers can and do develop this disease. Researchers have made progress in understanding the differences between lung cancer in smokers versus nonsmokers, says Dr. Ronald Natale, a medical oncologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and they’re developing targeted treatments that will be able to address the genetic drivers of lung cancer in nonsmokers.

“Among patients who are nonsmokers, or former very light smokers, we identify a mutation that we can target with pills in about 60% to 70% of them. That leaves 30% or so, 40%, in whom we either have a target for which we do not have successful treatment,” Dr. Ronald Natale, a medical oncologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, tells SurvivorNet.

“Among patients who are smokers, who have more complex cancers that have hundreds, sometimes thousands of mutations, don’t have a driver mutation that we can give a pill for, which is only a tiny percentage of lifelong smokers. Chemotherapy is the primary treatment in most patients,” Dr. Natale explains further.