Current Thoracic Surgery

In modern times, microplastics are common environmental contaminants that are of increasing importance for human health. Ingestion has been traditionally regarded as the dominant route of exposure. However, inhalation of airborne microplastics represents a direct and biologically relevant exposure route to the respiratory system. Increasing evidence, both experimental and review-based, suggests that inhaled microplastics may become trapped in lung tissue, remain there for long periods of time, generate oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, and disrupt normal cellular function in the lungs. These pathophysiological mechanisms may be directly involved in the development of lung cancer. From the perspective of thoracic surgery, exposure to microplastics can influence the epidemiology of lung cancer, tumor biology, perioperative risk, and future surgical decision making. Identification of these novel relationships could place thoracic surgeons at the intersection of surgical oncology and environmental health. This article aims to increase public awareness of environmental microplastic exposure and the possible link between microplastic exposure and lung cancer based on published peer-reviewed research. The purpose is to evaluate the potential impact of microplastics on thoracic surgery procedures and to alert thoracic surgeons about the possibility of an increase in lung