A new study presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona reveals that lung cancer patients are more likely to have higher concentrations of microplastics in their lung tissue compared to non-cancerous individuals.
Led by Dr. Elias Demias from the University College Dublin School of Medicine and the University of Thessaly, the research provides further evidence that microplastics can enter the human respiratory system through inhalation. However, researchers emphasized that the findings do not prove a direct causal relationship between microplastic inhalation and the development of lung cancer or other respiratory diseases.
Dr. Demias noted that scientists must conduct further extensive research to determine baseline microplastic levels in healthy human lungs, evaluate variance among individuals, and assess long-term health risks. Experts advised caution in interpreting the current data, stressing that large-scale epidemiological studies are required to establish whether a definitive cause-and-effect link exists.
