Exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) may be a risk factor for a common type of brain tumor called meningioma, according to a new Chinese study. This study is the first to link brain cancer and BPA, which is widely used in plastic bottles, can linings, and other consumer products.

For the study, researchers tracked 505 patients who were getting medical exams at the Union Hospital in Wuhan, China. About half the patients had meningioma, while the other half had no history of cancer.

Researchers used questionnaires and medical records to collect information on factors potentially related to meningioma, including age, gender, body mass index, family history of cancer, and use of hormone replacement therapy. Researchers then took urine samples and placed patients into one of four exposure groups based on the concentration of BPA in their urine.

After accounting for factors potentially associated with meningioma, study participants with the highest levels of BPA in their urine were 1.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with this form of brain cancer compared to those with lower concentrations.

For more information about BPA’s health risks (and how to avoid it), check out BPA: Yet Another Reason to Go Green.

Image Credit: MC =)/Flickr