Microplastic-associated pollutants in prostate carcinogenesis and plant-based chemo-preventive strategies.

V K Ajit Kumar, S K Sharma, Pathik D Wadhwa

Drug Chem Toxicol

Apr 26, 2026

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Abstract

Microplastic (MP) pollution and the rising global incidence of prostate cancer (PC) represent converging public health challenges, yet the potential contribution of MPs to organ-specific carcinogenesis remains poorly defined. Although MPs are recognized as systemic environmental hazards, their relevance to prostate cancer biology has not been comprehensively synthesized. This review examines evidence from environmental toxicology and oncology literature suggesting that MPs can accumulate in human prostate tissue, with higher burdens reported in malignant compared with benign samples in observational studies, though whether this reflects a causal relationship or differential retention in tumor tissue remains under investigation. Beyond acting as inert particulates, MPs possess a strong capacity to adsorb and transport endocrine-disrupting and pro-carcinogenic pollutants, including bisphenols, phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), thereby increasing localized toxicant exposure within this hormone-sensitive organ. We integrate current mechanistic evidence to propose a coherent framework in which MP-associated pollutants may converge on key molecular processes implicated in prostate carcinogenesis, including modulation of androgen receptor signaling, induction of oxidative stress and DNA damage, and activation of chronic inflammatory pathways. These interconnected processes are conceptualized as a 'triad of toxicity' that provides biological plausibility for a potential role of MPs in prostate cancer development without implying established causality. In parallel, selected plant-derived phytochemicals are discussed as mechanistically aligned, hypothesis-driven candidates based on their documented anti-androgenic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities, rather than as proven countermeasures against MP-induced toxicity. By uniting environmental toxicology with molecular oncology, this review positions MP-associated pollutants as a plausible environmental risk factor within the multifactorial landscape of prostate cancer and frames phytochemicals as pathway-oriented research leads. The findings underscore the need for interdisciplinary investigation, improved analytical methodologies, and translational studies to clarify the role of microplastic pollution in prostate cancer etiology.