Common chemicals lurking in tap water and the water used for hundreds of everyday products may cause cancer cells to spread rapidly inside the body, making the disease harder to treat, a new study suggests.

Numerous studies have shown that substances called per and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) are linked to multiple cancers, but now researchers have discovered that the substances may also be linked to the spread of the disease.

A study by Yale researchers found that colon cancer cells exposed to PFAS showed signs of metastasis - cancer that migrates to different parts of the body. This raised concerns because as the cancer spreads, it becomes more difficult to treat.

Almost every person in the US – 97 percent – ​​has detectable levels of PFAS chemicals in their blood, studies have shown.

Chemicals are almost ubiquitous in the environment because they are almost impossible to break down.

In addition to the link to cancer, the Yale study, published this month in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, is the first to show that these chemicals can also cause cancer to spread faster — in particular, colon cancer. /DailyMail