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Microplastics Found in 90 Percent of Prostate Cancer Samples
Microplastics have now been found inside most prostate cancer tumors — and at strikingly higher levels than in healthy tissue.
A new study reports that tiny plastic particles were present in nine out of 10 men diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Researchers also found that these fragments appeared in greater amounts inside cancerous tumors than in nearby noncancerous prostate tissue.
The investigation was conducted at NYU Langone Health, including its Perlmutter Cancer Center and Center for the Investigation of Environmental Hazards.
Scientists set out to examine whether exposure to microplastics could play a role in the development of prostate cancer, which the American Cancer Society identifies as the most common cancer affecting American men.
Plastic used in food containers, packaging, cosmetics, and other everyday products can break down into microscopic pieces when heated, worn down, or chemically altered.
These particles can be swallowed, inhaled from the air, or absorbed through the skin. Previous research has detected microplastics throughout the human body, including in major organs, bodily fluids, and even the placenta.
Despite their widespread presence, scientists still do not fully understand their health effects.
For this study, researchers analyzed prostate tissue samples from 10 patients undergoing surgery to remove the prostate gland. Microplastic particles were identified in 90% of tumor samples and in 70% of noncancerous samples.
Notably, tumor tissue contained significantly more plastic.
On average, cancerous samples had about 2.5 times the concentration found in healthy prostate tissue (about 40 micrograms of plastic per gram of tissue compared with 16 micrograms per gram).
“Our pilot study provides important evidence that microplastic exposure may be a risk factor for prostate cancer,” said study lead author Stacy Loeb, MD, a professor in the NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Departments of Urology and Population Health.
Loeb explained that while earlier studies had hinted at links between microplastics and conditions such as heart disease and dementia, there had been little direct research connecting them to prostate cancer.
The findings will be presented on February 26 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.
According to Loeb, this is the first study conducted in the West to measure microplastic levels in prostate tumors and directly compare them with levels in noncancerous prostate tissue.
To carry out the analysis, scientists first examined the tissue visually. They then used specialized instruments to measure the quantity, chemical makeup, and structural characteristics of microplastic particles. The team focused on 12 of the most commonly produced plastic molecules.
Because plastic is widely used in medical and laboratory tools, the researchers took extra precautions to prevent contamination. They replaced plastic equipment with alternatives made from aluminum, cotton, and other nonplastic materials. All testing took place in controlled, clean rooms specifically designed for microplastic analysis.
“By uncovering yet another potential health concern posed by plastic, our findings highlight the need for stricter regulatory measures to limit the public’s exposure to these substances, which are everywhere in the environment,” said study senior author Vittorio Albergamo, PhD.
Albergamo, an assistant professor in the NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics, said the next step is to determine how microplastics behave inside the body and whether they contribute directly to cancer development. One theory the team plans to investigate is whether these particles trigger a persistent immune response (inflammation) in prostate tissue.
Over time, chronic inflammation can damage cells and lead to genetic changes that allow cancer to form.
Albergamo emphasized that the study involved a small number of patients and that larger studies will be necessary to confirm the results.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in eight men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.
Meeting: American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Genitourinary Cancers Symposium
The research was funded by the U.S. Department of Defense.
In addition to Loeb and Albergamo, the NYU Langone research team included Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP; Trevor Johnson, PhD; Fang-Ming Deng, MD, PhD; Mark Strong, DO; David Wise, MD, PhD; José Alemán, MD, PhD; Zixuan Mo, BS; Mariana Rangel Camacho, BS; Nataliya Byrne, BA; Tatiana Sanchez Nolasco, MPH; Adrian Rivera, MPH; William Huang, MD; Herbert Lepor, MD; Wei Phin Tan, MD; and James Wysock, MD.
Samir Taneja, MD, of Northwell Health in New York City also contributed to the study.
Loeb has consulted for pharmaceutical company Astellas, digital health company Savor Health, and men’s health organization Movember, and has received research support from Endo USA Inc. She also participated in advisory boards for Endo USA, Blue Earth Diagnostics, Pfizer, Sumitomo Pharma, and Doceree. Wysock has consulted for medical equipment manufacturers Edap — Focal One, and URO-1 Medical. Wise is a paid consultant for Pfizer, Bayer, K36, OncoC4, AstraZeneca, and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and is an expert witness for Exxon Mobil. None of these activities are related to the current study. NYU Langone Health is managing the terms and conditions of these relationships in accordance with its policies and procedures.
Credit…..scitechdaily.com
Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) has alerted its customers to a fraudulent message circulating on social media, falsely claiming that electricity consumers can receive an additional 20 per cent bonus units when recharging their prepaid meters through unofficial channels.
In a statement issued by the company’s management on Monday, YEDC described the claim as false and urged customers to disregard the misleading information, stressing that it did not originate from the company.
According to the statement, YEDC does not offer bonus electricity units through individuals, agents, personal bank accounts, phone numbers, or social media contacts.
The company advised customers to purchase electricity tokens only through approved cashless payment platforms, including the YEDC Pay App, OPay, Interswitch, and other authorised vending channels, or to visit the nearest YEDC office for assistance.
YEDC also cautioned customers against sharing their meter details or personal information, or making payments to unauthorised persons claiming to represent the company.
The company further urged customers to rely exclusively on information disseminated through its official communication channels to avoid falling victim to fraud.
The management thanked customers for their continued cooperation and reaffirmed its commitment to serving them.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has disclosed that two foreign currency accounts opened in connection with the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) have remained inactive since their creation, with no funds deposited and no transactions recorded.
The revelation emerged on Monday during the ongoing investigation by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee probing the circumstances surrounding the establishment and operations of the council.
Lawmakers are investigating allegations that the PFIPC was created and operated without a valid legal framework and outside the established procedures required for government agencies and institutions.
Appearing before the committee, representatives of both the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) distanced their institutions from the establishment of the council.
The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation stated that it neither created the council nor possessed the constitutional authority to establish federal agencies.
Representing the office, officials explained that the OHCSF is only responsible for approving administrative structures of government agencies after all necessary requirements have been fulfilled.
According to the office, records showed that the council submitted a request on August 6, 2025, seeking approval for its organisational structure.
However, the application was not approved because the required supporting documents were not attached.
The committee heard that despite the rejection of the request, officials linked to the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC)/PFIPC later appeared during the 2025 manpower budget defence exercise and sought approval for staffing and recruitment arrangements.
The office disclosed that the council informed government officials that its activities were being carried out largely through personnel seconded or deployed from other institutions.
Lawmakers were told that the council requested approval for a total of 314 positions. The figure consisted of 14 existing officers and an additional 300 proposed positions.
The Office of the Head of the Civil Service further revealed that concerns later arose regarding documents presented by the council as evidence of its legal backing.
Officials told the committee that upon examination, the documents failed to display essential features expected of an enabling law or valid legal instrument establishing a government body.
Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, head of the Civil Service of the Federation, also rejected claims that her office deployed civil servants to work for the council.
She maintained that the office did not assign personnel to the body and did not provide office accommodation for its operations.
According to her, matters relating to the creation, supervision and oversight of government agencies fall under the responsibilities of other relevant institutions, including the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The Central Bank of Nigeria also provided details regarding accounts linked to the council.Nigerian current events
Hamisu Abdullahi, director at the apex bank, who represented the CBN Governor before the committee, explained that the bank opened two foreign currency accounts following a formal request from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
He told lawmakers that the request was received on July 30, 2025, and instructed the bank to create a United States dollar domiciliary account and a Pound Sterling domiciliary account.
Abdullahi stressed that the CBN only opens accounts for government agencies after receiving official authorisation from the Accountant-General’s office.
However, he disclosed that the accounts never became operational because the council failed to provide authorised signatories required for activation.
As a result, both accounts remained dormant from the day they were opened.
He informed the committee that neither account had received deposits nor processed withdrawals. The accounts also recorded no foreign exchange allocations, remittances, inflows or outflows.Governor election news
According to him, the balances in both accounts remain at zero.
The CBN official further stated that the council did not engage directly with the apex bank regarding the management or operation of the accounts after they were created.
Following the submissions, members of the committee demanded more information as part of efforts to determine the full scope of the council’s activities.
Hon. Abdulmalik Danga, chairman of the committee, directed the Central Bank to submit comprehensive records relating to both the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
The committee requested details covering the opening of the accounts, their operational history and any information connected to related banking activities.
Lawmakers also instructed the CBN to work with commercial banks to identify and provide records of any accounts linked to the entities under investigation.
However, the committee is expected to continue its hearings as more government agencies and officials appear before lawmakers to provide explanations on the controversial council and the circumstances surrounding its operations.
STEM Africa Fest, an annual science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education event designed to expose children to hands-on learning, returned to Lagos, with organisers urging greater integration of practical STEM education into Nigeria’s school curriculum to prepare young people for future careers.
The organisers said the initiative has reached over 25,000 children across Africa in six years, renewing calls for greater integration of practical STEM education into Nigeria’s school curriculum.
The festival, which began in 2021 during the COVID-19 lockdown, has expanded beyond Nigeria to Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Zambia, Rwanda and Kenya, promoting experiential learning through science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM). The sixth edition which held in Lagos, attracted about 3,500 children and parents from all over.
Conveners, Titi Adewusi and Jadesola Adedeji, said the initiative was conceived to address the gap between classroom theory and practical learning, giving children opportunities to build, experiment and interact with emerging technologies.
According to Adewusi, this year’s theme, “Building Future Innovators”, reflects the organisers’ vision of nurturing Africa’s next generation of innovators, problem-solvers and creative thinkers.
“Children are learning the theories and we wanted to bring the real thing, hands-on. If you’re teaching a child about 3D printing, we want them to actually experience it. If you’re teaching a child about building robots or AI, we wanted them to experience it,” she said.
Adedeji, said the idea for the festival emerged from a shared desire to make science education more engaging after discussions between the founders several years ago.
She said the maiden edition, held during the pandemic, attracted over 1,000 participants globally, while the first physical edition recorded over 6,000 attendees.
They identified funding, stakeholder mobilisation and expanding the festival to other locations as some of the challenges encountered since its inception. They noted that increasing demand from different states and African countries had prompted them to adopt a partnership model that allows collaborators replicate the programme using an established framework.
They also urged governments at all levels to strengthen support for STEM education by integrating practical learning into school curricula and partnering with private organisations to improve access to science and technology education.
Adewusi said they have developed a STEM curriculum that is being implemented in some schools and expressed readiness to collaborate with the government to expand its adoption in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal on quality education.
Adedeji added that government support should go beyond funding to include curriculum development, teacher training and institutional backing for STEM-focused initiatives.
Representing Access Holdings, Programme Manager for Sustainability, Ikechukwu Iheagwam, said the company’s continued support for the festival aligns with its commitment to advancing education and technology.
He said exposing children to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics would better prepare them for the future, adding that private sector participation should complement government efforts in improving STEM education.
Some pupils who attended the festival said the practical sessions strengthened their interest in science and technology.
A student of Court Hill College, Opebi, Jason Lawal, said he participated in activities including a Rubik’s Cube challenge and an artificial intelligence masterclass where participants created short AI-generated animations.
Another student of Greater Ecstasy High School, Iyana-Ipaja, Fatima Namama said attending the festival over the years had deepened her interest in laboratory science and technology. She called for wider integration of STEM education into the school curriculum and more opportunities for pupils to participate in similar learning events.
The organisers said the festival’s impact extends beyond attendance figures, noting that some former participants have returned in recent years as exhibitors in coding and robotics, reflecting its contribution to nurturing future innovators.
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