Researchers Find Microplastics in Intestinal Tumors From Patients
More than half of the tumors contained microplastics - especially the type used for food and drink. The authors point to a potential health link but also stress that their study does not show that microplastics cause cancer.
PET is a widely used type of plastic that we are constantly confronted with. It is light, strong, and transparent, and because of these qualities, it is often used in plastic bottles and food containers.
It is also the type of plastic that researchers have found in abundance in a new study of microplastics in intestinal tumors. The study is published in Nature Health. Ecotoxicologist Elvis Genbo Xu from the Department of Biology is one of the authors who co-supervised the first author, PhD student Honghong Chen from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China.
The team studied 188 samples of intestinal tumors that had been removed during surgery. Using advanced imaging and chemical analysis techniques, they detected microplastic particles in 106 of the samples, corresponding to 56%.
Association, not causation
The most common plastic type was PET, but particles of PE, PP, PS, ABS, PVC, and PA were also found.
“We all likely ingest microplastic particles through air, water, and food, and when they enter the digestive system, they may accumulate in the intestinal tract and disturb the delicate balance of microbial communities, provoke oxidative stress, and cause inflammation”, says Elvis Genbo, adding:
“We should be careful not to overinterpret our data. Our study does not show that microplastics cause intestinal tumors. It shows an association, not a causation. This research field is developing rapidly, with global efforts underway, but the actual health risk to humans remains uncertain at this stage.”
Higher rate of recurring tumors
However, as microplastics are widespread in the environment and have been reported in several human tissues and in many other living organisms, the authors emphasize the need to investigate their potential role in human disease. At the same time, the field continues to face debates and technical challenges in reliably quantifying micro- and nanoplastics in complex biological samples.
In their study, the researchers also found that patients with tumors containing microplastic particles had a higher tumor recurrence rate and had more severe gastrointestinal symptoms over a follow-up period of nearly three years after their tumor had been removed.
Among the 106 patients with evidence of microplastics in their tumors, 12 experienced tumor recurrence (11.32%). Of the 82 patients with no evidence of microplastics in their tumor, 7 had a recurrence (8.54%).
An important public health question
Most of the microplastic particles were very small: more than two-thirds measured less than 100 micrometers, which means they are small enough to interact with cells and tissue structures.
We still know little about the smallest microplastics, nanoplastics.
“This study is important because human evidence on microplastics in diseased tissues remains very limited. Since the intestine is a major exposure route through food and drinking water, understanding whether microplastics accumulate in intestinal tissues and interact with disease processes is an important public health question”, says Elvis Genbo Xu.
Paper reference
Nature Health, May 14, 2026: Tumour recurrence, gastrointestinal symptoms and inflammation associated with microplastic-positive intestinal tumours.
Authors: Honghong Chen, Zhaohui Liu, Wenhui Qiu, Yuping Zhou, Elvis Genbo Xu, Jason T. Magnuson, Jian Zhao, Wenjing Zhao, Shengwei Hou, Huahong Shi, Baoshan Xing & Chunmiao Zheng.
Funders of the project include the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee and the Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control.
Meet the Researcher
Elvis Genbo Xu is an ecotoxicologist and Associate Professor in the Ecotoxicology group at the Department of Biology. His research interests include micro/nanoplastics and environmental pollution. His research is currently supported by the Carlsberg Foundation, Grundfos Foundation, and the EU Horizon Europe.