Association between triclosan/triclocarban exposure and esophageal carcinoma development: A nested case-control study in a prospective cohort

Triclosan (TCS) and triclocarban (TCC), widely used estrogen-mimicking antimicrobials in personal care products, raise health concerns due to their long-term environmental persistence. However, epidemiological evidence remains sparse. This prospective nested case-control study evaluated associations between serum TCS/TCC concentrations and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) incidence. We enrolled 400 age- and sex-matched participants, collecting baseline epidemiological data and measuring serum TCS/TCC via high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Multivariable logistic regression, followed by subgroup and sensitivity analyses, assessed associations. A significant non-linear relationship emerged for TCC: participants with serum levels of 1.73-7.21 ng/L had a fully adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 3.46 (95 % CI: 1.48-8.07) for ESCC compared to those with levels < 1.73 ng/L. In contrast, TCS exposure showed no significant association, suggesting divergent biological mechanisms despite structural similarity. This study identifies TCC as a novel ESCC risk factor, highlighting potential health risks and supporting stricter regulation of TCC in consumer products.