Overview
- Plastic particles were identified in 90% of tumor samples and 70% of nearby benign tissue from 10 men undergoing prostate removal.
- Tumors contained about 2.5 times more plastic by mass than benign tissue, averaging roughly 40 micrograms per gram versus 16 micrograms per gram.
- Samples came from deep within the prostate and paired benign regions from the same organ to allow within-patient comparison.
- Researchers substituted nonplastic tools and processed tissue in clean rooms to limit contamination, yet the results have not been peer reviewed.
- Outside experts caution the data do not show cause and effect; a prior Lancet study found similar patterns, and the team has funding for a ~30-patient follow-up to examine links with inflammation and tumor aggressiveness.