A recent study suggests a link between regular talcum powder use and a higher risk for ovarian cancer.
The study, published in the current issue of the medical journal, Epidemiology, was comprised of 4,141 women, approximately half of whom had epithelial ovarian cancer while the other half did not. The women self-reported how much talcum powder they used for feminine hygiene – whether directly on the genitals, in conjunction with feminine hygiene products, or on their underwear.
Study Shows 33% Greater Cancer Risk in Talc Users
The research study controlled for age, weight, asthma, and analgesic use. Results were broken out according to menopausal status at diagnosis as well as by weight and whether the women were smokers or not. The study concluded that the more talcum powder a woman used during her lifetime, the more likely she was to get ovarian cancer – as much as a 33% greater risk.
Warning Labels on Baby Powder Recommended
The researchers theorized that estrogen levels and the body’s inflammatory response to the talcum powder played a factor in cancer risk. The study’s lead author, Dr. Daniel Cramer, Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology Epidemiology Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, told Reuters that, “women should know that if [talc is] used repeatedly, it can get into the vagina and into their upper genital tract.” Dr. Cramer also called for warning labels on talcum powder products.
Link Between Talcum Powder and Cancer Suspected but Not Proven
Overall, there’s no scientific consensus about a causal relationship between talcum powder and cancer. Some studies have shown a correlation while others have not. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified talc as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has held off similar categorization.
Further Talcum Powder Studies Needed
Dr. Nicolas Wentzensen, head of the clinical epidemiology unit for the National Cancer Institute, told Reuters that the design of the study made the results inconclusive. The study was a “case-control” study which relies on human memory and accuracy of self-reporting after the fact. He would prefer to see a “prospective cohort study” that would follow women over time.
The best news about the results of this study is that reducing the possible risk of getting ovarian cancer from talcum powder products is extremely easy: just avoid using talcum powder.
Recent Comments