Detection of microplastics in bladder wash fluid obtained after cystoscopy in patients diagnosed with bladder cancer

To evaluate the possible association between bladder cancer and the concentration of microplastics detected in urine.

This retrospective observational study examined 76 patients presenting to the Urology Outpatient Clinic between December 2024 and May 2025. The patient group consisted of 40 individuals diagnosed with bladder cancer based on pathological results, while the control group comprised 36 volunteers who underwent cystoscopy but had no pathological lesions. During cystoscopy, 5 mL of urine was collected from each participant in sterile glass tubes for microplastic analysis. Microplastic particles were identified and quantified in urine samples using stereomicroscopy. The demographic characteristics, microplastic concentrations and clinical data of patients diagnosed with bladder cancer were recorded.

Participants were aged between 41 and 82 years, with an average age of 63.04 ± 10.15 years. No significant difference in age distribution was observed between the groups. The mean body mass index was 28.31 ± 4.79 kg/m². All patients in the cancer group were diagnosed with non-muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma. The mean microplastic concentration was 2.82 ± 2.05 particles/ml in the control group and 2.53 ± 1.54 particles/ml in the bladder cancer group. There was no statistically significant difference in microplastic concentration between the two groups (p = 0.868). Within the bladder cancer group, microplastic concentration did not differ significantly according to sex, lamina propria invasion, tumour size, tumour grade, number of tumour foci, presence of carcinoma in situ or smoking history (all p > 0.05).

The findings of this study suggest that, under the conditions and analytical limitations of the present study, no significant association was observed between urinary microplastic concentration and urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. Further clarification of the potential relationship between bladder cancer and urinary microplastic levels requires larger-scale studies.