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Are ‘microplastics’ to blame for surging rates of bowel cancer among young Kiwis?

  • elocal magazine By elocal magazine
  • Oct 1, 2025

Doctors are warning of a sharp and unexplained rise in bowel cancer among people under 50, with rates growing by about 25% per decade, and up to 35% for Māori.

Traditional risk factors such as red meat, smoking, and alcohol are declining, yet more younger New Zealanders are being diagnosed. Frizelle said genes hadn’t changed, pointing instead to environmental factors: “Something in the environment that we’re not seeing as bad is probably triggering this.”

Leading colorectal surgeon Dr Frank Frizelle told Paddy Gower Has Issues the speed of the increase was “like a Ferrari — it’s speeding away.”

Christchurch-based microbiologist Krista Dawson is testing whether microplastics are part of the cause. In lab experiments, she found microplastics embed themselves in the gut’s protective mucus layer, potentially thinning it and allowing bacteria to trigger inflammation.

Researcher Jackie Keenan said the timing fits: “Microplastics have come into the world in a big way in the last 60 years, and early onset colorectal cancer has been going up steadily over that time.”

Keenan also noted sugary drinks make the gut’s protective barrier thinner, and combined with microplastics, “it’s just like a perfect storm.” She added that multiple triggers are likely, comparing the research to a “jigsaw puzzle.”

Bowel cancer is the country’s second-biggest cancer killer. While older rates are slowly declining, younger cases are surging and experts say answers are urgently needed.

Centrist.co.nz 

Health
New Zealand
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