Beyond Classic Carcinogens: Micro- and Nanoplastics (MNPs) as Pervasive Factors in Cancer Risk
- 1Cancer and Translational Research Lab, Dr. D.Y. Patil Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Institute, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Tathawade, Pune 411033, Maharashtra, India
Abstract
Cancer is attributed to being caused by multiple genetic, epigenetic, and various direct and indirect environmental factors. Microplastics are defined as pieces of plastic that are smaller than five millimeters. Microplastics have been emphasized as ubiquitous environmental contaminants found in terrestrial and aquatic systems, food webs, and the human body. Moreover, microplastics can bind to environmentally harmful pollutants, heavy metals, and refractory organic pollutants that can aggravate the biological effects of these pollutants. Microplastics are suggested to induce chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and genotoxicity by adsorbing and modifying the biomolecules in the biological systems. Oxidative stress, inflammation, and chemical-induced genetic and epigenetic changes in cancer cells and cancer-associated cells are considered as crucial processes in the development, progression, and therapeutic outcome of cancer. Among numerous tumor-promoting environmental factors, preclinical and clinical evaluations of how microplastics contribute to cellular and non-cellular pro-tumorigenic mechanisms like inflammation, genomic instability, and epigenetic modulation are emerging. This review will contribute to a better understanding of microplastics as additional environmental components apart from established carcinogens and genotoxic substances that directly or indirectly influence the pro-tumor microenvironment.
Related
- Beyond Polymer Identity: Biological and Health Implications of Polyvinyl Chloride Micro- and Nanoplastics
- Poly(lactic acid) nanoplastics through laser ablation: establishing a reference model for mimicking biobased nanoplastics in aquatic environments
- Editorial: Micro-and nanoplastics in agroecosystems: plant responses, soil interactions, and remediation strategies
- Polytetrafluoroethylene utensils as a source of micro- and nanoplastics: Insights from a Drosophila model
- Persistent influx of atmospheric microplastics and nanoplastics to Mount Everest driven by large scale circulation
BibTeX
@article{singh2026beyond,
title = {{Beyond Classic Carcinogens: Micro- and Nanoplastics (MNPs) as Pervasive Factors in Cancer Risk}},
author = {Mansaa Singh and Sneha Gupta and Jayanta Kumar Pal and Nilesh Kumar Sharma},
journal = {International Journal of Environmental Medicine},
year = {2026},
month = may,
doi = {10.3390/ijem1020008},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/ijem1020008},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Beyond Classic Carcinogens: Micro- and Nanoplastics (MNPs) as Pervasive Factors in Cancer Risk
AU - Mansaa Singh
AU - Sneha Gupta
AU - Jayanta Kumar Pal
AU - Nilesh Kumar Sharma
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/05/22
JO - International Journal of Environmental Medicine
DO - 10.3390/ijem1020008
UR - https://doi.org/10.3390/ijem1020008
AB - Cancer is attributed to being caused by multiple genetic, epigenetic, and various direct and indirect environmental factors. Microplastics are defined as pieces of plastic that are smaller than five millimeters. Microplastics have been emphasized as ubiquitous environmental contaminants found in terrestrial and aquatic systems, food webs, and the human body. Moreover, microplastics can bind to environmentally harmful pollutants, heavy metals, and refractory organic pollutants that can aggravate the biological effects of these pollutants. Microplastics are suggested to induce chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and genotoxicity by adsorbing and modifying the biomolecules in the biological systems. Oxidative stress, inflammation, and chemical-induced genetic and epigenetic changes in cancer cells and cancer-associated cells are considered as crucial processes in the development, progression, and therapeutic outcome of cancer. Among numerous tumor-promoting environmental factors, preclinical and clinical evaluations of how microplastics contribute to cellular and non-cellular pro-tumorigenic mechanisms like inflammation, genomic instability, and epigenetic modulation are emerging. This review will contribute to a better understanding of microplastics as additional environmental components apart from established carcinogens and genotoxic substances that directly or indirectly influence the pro-tumor microenvironment.
SN - 3042-7681
ER -