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Here are the top medical news for the day:
Air and Light Pollution During Perinatal Stage Tied to Pediatric Thyroid Cancer: Study
The new has study found a "significant association" between exposure to ambient fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5) and outdoor artificial light at night (O-ALAN) and increased risk of papillary thyroid cancer in children and young adults up to 19 years old. The findings are published in the Environmental Health Perspectives. The exposures occurred during the perinatal stage of life, typically defined as the time from when pregnancy occurs up to a year after birth.
The research team analyzed data from 736 individuals diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer before age 20 and 36,800 matched control participants based on birth year. Using advanced geospatial and satellite modeling, the team assessed individual-level exposure to PM2.5 and O-ALAN based on residential location at birth. All of the study participants were from California.
The findings showed that for every 10 micrograms per cubic meter increase in PM2.5 exposure, the odds of developing thyroid cancer rose by 7% overall. The strongest association between exposure and thyroid cancer was found among teenagers (15-19 years of age) and Hispanic children. Similarly, children born in areas with high levels of exposure to outdoor light at night were 23-25% more likely to develop thyroid cancer, according to the study.
"Thyroid cancer is among the fastest growing cancers among children and adolescents, yet we know very little about what causes it in this population," said Deziel, an associate professor of epidemiology (environmental health sciences) and co-director of the Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology. "Our study is the first large-scale investigation to suggest that these exposures early in life -- specifically to PM2.5 and outdoor light at night -- may play a role in this concerning trend."
The current research raises important environmental justice concerns. Communities of color and lower-income populations are often disproportionately exposed to both air pollution and light pollution -- inequities that may contribute to the higher thyroid cancer burden observed in Hispanic children.
The researchers emphasized that more work is needed to replicate and expand on their findings, ideally using improved exposure metrics and longitudinal designs.
Reference: https://ysph.yale.edu/news-article/early-life-exposure-to-air-and-light-pollution-linked-to-increased-risk-of-pediatric-thyroid-cancer/
Study Uncovers Diet Patterns Linked to Longer, Healthier Lives
A 30-year study has found that plant-rich diets with low intake of ultra-processed foods significantly increase the odds of healthy aging. The study links midlife dietary patterns to a greater likelihood of aging well—defined as living beyond 70 without major chronic diseases, while maintaining cognitive, physical, and mental health. The findings will be published in Nature Medicine.
Drawing from data in the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, researchers followed more than 105,000 men and women aged 39–69 for three decades. Participants regularly completed dietary questionnaires, which were evaluated using eight well-established dietary indices, including the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), Alternative Mediterranean Index (aMED), and Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI). Each of these patterns emphasizes high intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and healthy fats, with low to moderate amounts of healthy animal-based foods such as fish and dairy.
The study found that 9.3% of participants, or 9,771 individuals, aged healthfully. Among all dietary patterns, the AHEI showed the strongest association with healthy aging. Those in the highest quintile of AHEI adherence had an 86% higher likelihood of healthy aging at age 70, and a more than twofold increase in likelihood at age 75, compared to those in the lowest quintile. The PHDI also ranked high, highlighting the dual benefit of diets that are good for both people and the planet.
Conversely, higher consumption of ultra-processed foods—especially processed meats and sugar-laden or artificially sweetened beverages—was linked to lower odds of aging healthfully. Researchers emphasized future research across more diverse populations is needed to validate and expand upon these findings.
“Our findings also show that there is no one-size-fits-all diet. Healthy diets can be adapted to fit individual needs and preferences,” added lead author Anne-Julie Tessier, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of Montreal, researcher at the Montreal Heart Institute, and visiting scientist at Harvard Chan School.
Reference: “Optimal dietary patterns for healthy aging” by Anne-Julie Tessier, Fenglei Wang, Andres Ardisson Korat, A. Heather Eliassen, Jorge Chavarro, Francine Grodstein, Jun Li, Liming Liang, Walter C. Willett, Qi Sun, Meir J. Stampfer, Frank B. Hu and Marta Guasch-Ferré, 24 March 2025, Nature Medicine.
DOI: 10.1038/s41591-025-03570-5
Microplastics Found in Human Ovaries, Raising Fertility Concerns: Researchers
A new study has found microplastics have been detected for the first time in human ovary follicular fluid, raising serious concerns about the potential impact of plastic pollution on women’s reproductive health. The peer-reviewed study, published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, examined 18 women undergoing assisted reproductive treatment at a fertility clinic in Salerno, Italy. Microplastics were found in the follicular fluid of 14 of them.
Follicular fluid plays a vital role in egg development, providing key nutrients and biochemical signals. Contamination with microplastics in this delicate environment could affect fertility, hormonal balance, and overall reproductive function.
Microplastics—tiny plastic particles formed by the degradation of larger plastics—are already known to pollute environments across the globe, from Mount Everest to the Mariana Trench. They have been found in food, water, and even inside the human body, including the bloodstream, lungs, and placenta. These particles often carry harmful chemicals such as bisphenol, phthalates, and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which are linked to cancer, hormone disruption, neurotoxicity, and developmental issues.
The study was conducted on 18 women undergoing assisted reproductive treatment at an IVF center in Salerno, Southern Italy. Researchers aimed to investigate the presence of microplastics (MPs) in ovarian follicular fluid. To detect and analyze plastic particles smaller than 10 micrometers, the team employed Scanning Electron Microscopy paired with Energy Dispersive X-ray detection. This high-resolution imaging allowed for precise identification and measurement of microplastic particles within the follicular fluid samples.
Microplastics were found in 14 out of 18 follicular fluid samples, with an average concentration of 2,191 particles/mL and a mean diameter of 4.48 µm. A significant correlation was observed between microplastic levels and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) (p < 0.05), while weak, non-significant links were found with BMI, age, and estradiol.
The study underscores the need for urgent research to better understand the levels of exposure that can trigger health effects and to develop strategies for reducing microplastic contamination.
The findings are a major step toward finding out how microplastics impact the reproductive health of women, but are also “very alarming”, said Luigi Montano, a researcher at the University of Rome and study lead author.
Reference: Montano, L., Raimondo, S., Piscopo, M., Ricciardi, M., Guglielmino, A., Chamayou, S., ... & Motta, O. (2025). First evidence of microplastics in human ovarian follicular fluid: an emerging threat to female fertility. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 291, 117868.
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