Hi Friends,
Dr. Storage here. 👋
Last month shook me.
James Van Der Beek, an actor many of us grew up watching, died from colorectal cancer at 48 years old.
And just days before his death, one of my favorite actresses, Catherine O’Hara, died from a pulmonary embolism caused by rectal cancer.
I've been a gastroenterologist for over a decade, and something has changed. We're diagnosing colon cancer in people in their 30s and 40s at rates we've never seen.
These aren't people with terrible genetics. They're just living modern life.
Since we last covered microplastics a few months ago, the science has accelerated faster than I've ever seen.
Brand new studies, published in 2026, are connecting plastic pollution to the exact kind of cancer that took James Van Der Beek's, Catherine O’Hara’s, and so many others’ lives.
WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS NOW
Cancer patients have significantly higher concentrations of microplastics in their stool than healthy people. This is the first human evidence of a dose-response relationship
Microplastics are now confirmed in 100% of colorectal tumor samples tested, with higher concentrations in cancer tissue than healthy tissue right next to it
People born after 1960 have consistently higher rates of early-onset colon cancer, a cohort effect that matches exactly when plastic became ubiquitous.
TODAY’S OPPONENT:
Microplastics
Tiny plastic particles (<5mm) entering your body through food, water, and air. They accumulate in colon tissue, trigger chronic inflammation, disrupt your gut microbiome, damage DNA, and - based on mounting evidence - may be contributing to rising rates of early-onset cancers.
What The New Research Shows
1. Microplastics Make Cancer Treatment Fail
A January 2026 study found that plastic particles inside tumors actively promote resistance to immunotherapy.
Microplastics disrupt the JAK-STAT pathway, exhausting your immune system's T-cells so they can't kill cancer.
In animal models, tumors with high microplastic levels grew faster and didn't respond to treatment.
2. Cancer Patients Have More Plastic in Their Gut, Especially Women
A September 2025 study examined stool from 258 colorectal cancer patients and 493 healthy people.
The findings were alarming: Cancer patients had significantly higher fecal microplastic concentrations (62 vs. 43 particles per gram).
People in the highest exposure group had an 11-fold increased cancer risk compared to the lowest.
But here's where it gets more specific:
Women appear to be at higher risk.
The association between microplastic exposure and colorectal cancer was particularly pronounced in female patients.
We don't yet know why, but it could relate to hormonal differences in how the gut processes plastics, or differences in dietary patterns.
Your diet matters. People who frequently consumed spicy foods or high-fat foods showed stronger correlations between microplastic levels and cancer risk.
High-fat foods may increase plastic absorption from packaging, while spicy foods could potentially damage the gut lining, making it more permeable to plastic particles.
This is the first epidemiological evidence in humans linking microplastic exposure directly to colorectal cancer risk.
3. Tumors Are Microplastic Magnets
A May 2025 study used electron microscopy to examine tumor samples and found PVC (plumbing pipes) and polyethylene (grocery bags) at higher concentrations in cancerous tissue.
Even more concerning: tumors showed elevated clathrin, a protein acting like a revolving door, actively pulling microplastics into cancer cells.
4. The Timeline Matches Perfectly
Plastic production exploded after 1960. People born after 1960 have higher rates of early-onset colon cancer. Cancer rates started accelerating in the 1990s…
Exactly when the first plastic-saturated generation reached adulthood.
What You Can Do Right Now
1. Stop drinking bottled water.
-Switch to filtered tap water (reverse osmosis is best)
-Use glass or stainless steel bottles
2. Never heat plastic.
-No plastic in the microwave, even if labeled "microwave safe"
-Don't put plastic containers in the dishwasher
-Let hot food cool before putting it in plastic
3. Reduce takeout packaging.
-Transfer food to glass or ceramic immediately
-Request no plastic utensils
-Choose restaurants that use paper/compostable packaging
4. Watch your fat intake from packaged foods.
-High-fat foods may increase plastic absorption from packaging
-If you eat high-fat foods, choose fresh sources (avocados, nuts, olive oil) over packaged/processed options
-Limit fried takeout food that sits in plastic containers
5. Support your gut barrier.
-Eat fermented foods (kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt with live cultures)
-Increase fiber gradually to help move plastics through faster
-Stay hydrated
6. Get screened early if you have risk factors.
-Family history of colon cancer? Start at 40 or earlier, not 45
-New bowel habit changes? Don't wait, see a doctor
-For Women: Be especially vigilant about screening
Talk Soon,
Dr. Storage
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