• Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
24/7 Health News
No Result
View All Result
Home Article

Cancer drug pollution is a growing global concern

May 17, 2024
in Article
Cancer drug pollution is a growing global concern
Cytostatic drugs help treat a range of cancers but may also pose a threat to ecosystems. (Shutterstock)

As incidence of cancer increases globally, the use of cancer drugs is also growing at a rate of approximately 10 per cent per year in developed countries.

Pharmaceuticals significantly contribute to the improvement of human health; however, their environmental impacts have also become a major concern.

Table of Contents

  • Cancer drugs in our ecosystems
  • Fast-growing killers
  • Something fishy in the water
  • So what now?

Cancer drugs in our ecosystems

Among the many molecules used to treat cancers are cytostatics.

As defined by the United States’ National Institutes of Health (NIH), a cystostatic is “a substance that slows or stops the growth of cells, including cancer cells, without killing them.”

When a cancer patient takes these drugs, the chemicals in them, including cytostatics, are eventually evacuated through the patients’ solid and liquid waste.

A patients’ waste ends up in the hospital or domestic wastewater system, where the chemicals in it are not entirely eliminated by end of pipe wastewater treatment plants. These chemicals can then find their way into aquatic ecosystems, and even our drinking water supply, at varying concentrations.

Cytostatic drugs are now classified as contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) due to their hazardous environmental impact.

The message is clear: this problem is only going to get worse as more people use cancer drugs.

Fast-growing killers

Cytostatic drugs, while essential for cancer treatments, pose significant hazards to all life — and especially to aquatic organisms.

The continuous release of pharmaceuticals into aquatic ecosystems (even at low levels) can reduce surface water quality, endanger biodiversity and disrupt ecosystem functioning.

Despite some research initiatives, such as by CYTOTHREAT in Europe, the baseline data sets needed to inform regulators about the risks posed by these emerging contaminants is lacking, including in Canada.

A recent report, published by the Centre d’expertise en analyse environnementale du Québec (CEAEQ), laid bare the potential risks associated with the main cytostatics registered in Canada.

The risks are myriad, but of particular concern to our research is the toxic impact they have upon fish larvae.

Five cytostatics were highlighted as posing a particular risk in the CEAEQ report. These cytostatics include tamoxifen (to treat breast cancer), methotrexate (to treat non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma), capecitabine (to treat colorectal cancer) and both cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide which are used to treat several types of cancers.

Something fishy in the water

Our research group studied these five cytostatics and the health consequences they pose for fish embryos.

At first, we found no significant negative effects on fish mortality, hatching success or heart rate.

However, a closer look revealed that ifosfamide had a noticeable effect on swim bladder inflation in fish. The swim bladder fulfils a critical function for maintaining buoyancy in water. Without an inflated swim bladder, fish cannot freely swim in the water column and are unlikely to survive.

Further molecular analysis is needed to determine a definitive causal relationship between cytostatics exposure and issues in swim bladder inflation.

In a followup study published in April 2024, our research team found that cytostatic chemicals also affected thyroid hormone regulation in fish embryos.

The disruption of the thyroid hormone function could lead to developmental deficiencies in fish, including the swim bladder disorder we detected in our first study. This raises concerns about the long-term health impact of the presence of cytostatics in aquatic ecosystems.

The consequences could be far reaching. Fish are not only a vital component of aquatic food webs, but also serve as indicators of the overall ecosystem health. Any disruption to their development and survival could have cascading effects on biodiversity.

So what now?

Can we mitigate the impact of these pharmaceuticals on aquatic environments?

Proper disposal of unused medications is essential, as is investment in wastewater treatment technologies which can filter out cytostatics. These actions must also be backed up by robust new regulations to reduce pharmaceutical pollution. Cancer drugs are essential, so we must learn how to use them responsibly.

At the same time we must continue research into the environmental effects of commonly used drugs with an aim to understanding their full impact and developing targeted solutions.




Read more:
As Alberta’s oilsands continue leaking toxic wastewater, aquatic wildlife face new risks


Researchers are actively studying the risks to humans of cytostatic drugs contaminating our drinking water.

While this is a developing field of study, and much remains unknown, it is already clear that long-term exposure to cyclophosphamide — a drug commonly used to treat a range of cancers — in drinking water poses a real risk to children’s health.

It is not beyond the realm of possibility to imagine a future feedback loop where the increased use of cancer-treating cytostatics themselves leads to increasing rates of cancer.

Our work is a call to action. As stewards of our planet, it is our responsibility to safeguard the health and integrity of all ecosystems — including our own.

The Conversation

Valérie S. Langlois received funding from the Ministère de l’Environnement, des Changements climatiques, de la faune et des parcs (MELCCFP) du Québec and from the Canada Research Chair (CRC) program for this project.

Diana Castañeda-Cortés does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

ShareTweetSharePin
Next Post
Alcohol use disorder can be treated with an array of medications – but few people have heard of them

Alcohol use disorder can be treated with an array of medications – but few people have heard of them

Most Read

What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder

What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder

December 15, 2022
morning back pain

Morning Again Ache Trigger Is Not the Mattress

October 11, 2021

Why Circadian Rhythms Matter for Your Health

July 30, 2024

4 steps to building a healthier relationship with your phone

January 28, 2025
lower back pain relief exercises

5 decrease again ache aid workouts

October 11, 2021
bleeding in gum

When The Bleeding in gum Is Severe ?

October 11, 2021
3 years after legalization, we have shockingly little information about how it changed cannabis use and health harms

3 years after legalization, we have shockingly little information about how it changed cannabis use and health harms

October 15, 2021
Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work

Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work

December 14, 2022
Good Night Sleep

6 Causes of Good Evening Sleep

October 11, 2021
Ten small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain

Ten small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain

October 12, 2021

COVID vaccines: how one can pace up rollout in poorer international locations

October 5, 2021
Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

January 3, 2023
Support and collaboration with health-care providers can help people make health decisions

Support and collaboration with health-care providers can help people make health decisions

December 16, 2021
Greece to make COVID vaccines mandatory for over-60s, but do vaccine mandates work?

Greece to make COVID vaccines mandatory for over-60s, but do vaccine mandates work?

December 1, 2021
Five ways to avoid pain and injury when starting a new exercise regime

Five ways to avoid pain and injury when starting a new exercise regime

December 30, 2022
woman covered with white blanket

Exploring the Impact of Sleep Patterns on Mental Health

August 4, 2024

Maximize Your Performance – Sync with Your Circadian Rhythms

August 9, 2024

This Simple Hygiene Habit Could Cut Your Risk of Stroke, New Research Reveals

February 1, 2025

Multiple sclerosis: the link with earlier infection just got stronger – new study

October 12, 2021
Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

December 2, 2022
Nutrition advice is rife with misinformation − a medical education specialist explains how to tell valid health information from pseudoscience

Nutrition advice is rife with misinformation − a medical education specialist explains how to tell valid health information from pseudoscience

January 28, 2025
As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe

As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe

December 14, 2022
GPs don’t give useful weight-loss advice – new study

GPs don’t give useful weight-loss advice – new study

December 16, 2022
Backlash to transgender health care isn’t new − but the faulty science used to justify it has changed to meet the times

Backlash to transgender health care isn’t new − but the faulty science used to justify it has changed to meet the times

January 30, 2024
Why are some people faster than others? 2 exercise scientists explain the secrets of running speed

Why are some people faster than others? 2 exercise scientists explain the secrets of running speed

April 29, 2024
News of war can impact your mental health — here’s how to cope

Binge-eating disorder is more common than many realise, yet it’s rarely discussed – here’s what you need to know

December 2, 2022
How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize

How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize

July 6, 2022
The promise of repairing bones and tendons with human-made materials

The promise of repairing bones and tendons with human-made materials

January 4, 2022
Heart disease risk from saturated fats may depend on what foods they come from – new research

Heart disease risk from saturated fats may depend on what foods they come from – new research

November 29, 2021
Four ways to avoid gaining weight over the festive period – but also why you shouldn’t fret about it too much

Four ways to avoid gaining weight over the festive period – but also why you shouldn’t fret about it too much

December 22, 2022
  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer

© 2020 DAILY HEALTH NEWS

  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice

© 2020 DAILY HEALTH NEWS