Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Comment
  • Published:

Plastic exposure and urological malignancies — an emerging field

Plastics have an integral role in our daily lives but at a considerable cost to the environment and, as we are now learning, to human health. Increased plastic exposure has been linked to compromised endocrine function, reproductive health and semen quality and, potentially, urological cancers. However, the long-term consequences of plastic exposure remain to be seen.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Tsai, C.-F. et al. Curcumin suppresses phthalate-induced metastasis and the proportion of cancer stem cell (CSC)-like cells via the inhibition of AhR/ERK/SK1 signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma. J. Agric. Food Chem. 63, 10388–10398 (2015).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Seachrist, D. D. et al. A review of the carcinogenic potential of bisphenol A. Reprod. Toxicol. 59, 167–182 (2016).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Calafat, A. M., Ye, X., Wong, L.-Y., Reidy, J. A. & Needham, L. L. Exposure of the U.S. population to bisphenol A and 4-tertiary-octylphenol: 2003–2004. Environ. Health Perspect. 116, 39–44 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Ramos, J. G. et al. Prenatal exposure to low doses of bisphenol A alters the periductal stroma and glandular cell function in the rat ventral prostate. Biol. Reprod. 65, 1271–1277 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Wetherill, Y. B. et al. Bisphenol A facilitates bypass of androgen ablation therapy in prostate cancer. Mol. Cancer Ther. 5, 3181–3190 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Derouiche, S. et al. Bisphenol A stimulates human prostate cancer cell migration via remodelling of calcium signalling. Springerplus 2, 54 (2013).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Tarapore, P. et al. Exposure to bisphenol A correlates with early-onset prostate cancer and promotes centrosome amplification and anchorage-independent growth in vitro. PLoS ONE 9, e90332 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Li, P., Chen, J. & Miyamoto, H. Androgen receptor signaling in bladder cancer. Cancers 9, 20 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Shiota, M. et al. Suppressed recurrent bladder cancer after androgen suppression with androgen deprivation therapy or 5α-reductase inhibitor. J. Urol. 197, 308–313 (2017).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Kobroob, A., Peerapanyasut, W., Chattipakorn, N. & Wongmekiat, O. Damaging effects of bisphenol A on the kidney and the protection by melatonin: emerging evidences from in vivo and in vitro studies. Oxid. Med. Cell. Longev. 2018, 3082438 (2018).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sunil H. Patel.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Patel, S.H., Metcalf, M., Bivalacqua, T.J. et al. Plastic exposure and urological malignancies — an emerging field. Nat Rev Urol 17, 653–654 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41585-020-00385-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41585-020-00385-6

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing: Cancer

Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Cancer newsletter — what matters in cancer research, free to your inbox weekly.

Get what matters in cancer research, free to your inbox weekly. Sign up for Nature Briefing: Cancer