Microplastics in Early Onset Carcinogenesis

Plastics have become integral to modern life, but their persistence has generated vast quantities of microplastics (MPs, <5 mm) and nanoplastics (NPs, <1 µm) that now contaminate food, water, air, and human tissues. Although not yet classified as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, accumulating experimental and epidemiologic evidence raises concern that MPs may contribute to cancer development. Global plastic production has risen from 2 megatons in 1950 to more than 450 megatons annually in 2022, leaving behind pervasive waste that fragments into MPs and NPs. These particles act as xenobiotics, carrying toxic additives and adsorbed pollutants, provoking oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, DNA damage, and microbiome disruption; all processes central to carcinogenesis. MPs have been detected in human cancers, and animal studies show tissue accumulation, fibrosis, and genomic instability following exposure. Importantly, the proliferation of plastics parallels a global rise in early-onset cancers (diagnosed before age 50), suggesting a possible, though unproven, temporal association. Individuals born after the 1950s plastic boom have experienced continuous MP exposure beginning in utero, potentially predisposing them to carcinogenic pathways later in life. In this review, we integrate human biomonitoring data, experimental findings, and clinical observations to evaluate the emerging hypothesis that chronic MP exposure contributes to cancer risk. While causality has not been established, the biological plausibility and mounting evidence underscore the urgent need for mechanistic and epidemiologic studies to clarify the role of MPs and NPs in cancer development. It also underscores an urgent need for research into causal pathways and preventive mechanisms.