Microplastics Linked to Rise in Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer
Researchers are investigating whether plastic particles in the colon help explain a steady rise in colorectal cancer among younger adults.
Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Cancer
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A study published last year found more microplastics concentrated in colorectal tumours than in healthy nearby tissue, and researchers now link the particles to rising early-onset colorectal cancer cases. Epidemiologists began identifying the rise in colon cancers among young people in the 1990s.
Why it matters
Colorectal cancers typically take around 20 years to develop from exposure, so researchers are searching for a risk factor that rose in the 1970s and continues today. If microplastics are implicated, exposure may be a global concern affecting people worldwide.
A prior study compared microplastic levels in tumour and healthy tissue, but the cause-and-effect link has not been established. Austria, which screens from age 40, has not seen a marked rise in early-onset cancer, while the US spike coincides with its 2021 move to screening at 45, leaving the true driver unresolved.
The players
Lorne Hofseth
Lorne Hofseth is a researcher at the University of South Carolina who is involved in studying the link between microplastics and colorectal cancer.
Frank Frizelle
Frank Frizelle is a researcher at the University of Otago in New Zealand who is involved in studying rising early-onset colorectal cancer.
The details
Microplastic shards may penetrate the mucous layer of the colon, making it easier for toxins to damage the colon wall. Some animal studies have found microplastics can damage that mucous layer, and early-onset cancers are more likely than colon cancers in older people to involve it. Heating food or drinks in plastic containers causes chemicals to leach out at a higher rate.
Timeline
1970s: Suspected risk factor for colorectal cancer begins its rise.
1990s: Epidemiologists began identifying the rise in young-onset colon cancers.
2021: US screening guideline changed to begin at age 45 instead of 50.
2025: A study found more microplastics in colorectal tumours than in healthy tissue.
Big Picture
The rise in early-onset colorectal cancer in the United States coincides with the 2021 move to begin screening at age 45 instead of 50. Austria, which starts screening at age 40, has not seen a comparable increase, which makes the US trend harder to explain by environmental exposure alone.
Heating food or drinks in plastic containers causes chemicals to leach out at a higher rate, so reducing that practice is one step readers can take. Screening now begins at age 45 in the United States and at age 40 in Austria, so people should discuss screening timing with their doctors.
The takeaway
Early-onset colorectal cancer is an active research question, and microplastic exposure is one possible factor under study. Staying aware of screening guidelines for your age group remains practical while researchers work to pin down the cause.
Further reading
Explore more on the science of Cancer and how risk factors are studied.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NZ Herald.
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