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Talc particles at 100x photographed at McCrone Research course  (C) Daniel FriedmanRisk of Cancer from Asbestos-Containing Talc

Research on ovarian and other cancer risks from ultra-fine particles with or without asbestos

Here we provide recent research on the risk that some people may contract ovarian cancer from using body powder products that contained talc that in turn might have contained asbestos.

To help you understand the chances of contracting cancer from using talcum powder or similar products, along with research citations themselves, we include excerpts from the conclusions of these key articles.

Page top photograph: talc particles at 100x in polarized light, photographed by the author [DF] at McCrone Research in Chicago. The author has worked as a forensic micrcoscopist, aerobiologist, and environmental investigator.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?

Research on Talc & Asbestos in Talc & the Role of Perineal Use of Talc in Ovarian Cancer

Three examples of Johnson's Baby Powder products (C) Daniel Friedman at InspectApedia.com Asbestos-containing talc is known to be a respiratory hazard although even pure asbestos-free talc may be hazardous as well. Some of that research is cited in this article.

Because talc was used in or on a wide variety of products and, in some cases, is still used in some products including cosmetics (Gordon 2014), asbestos-containing talc might be on or contained in some of those items.

However not all products containing talc contain detectable asbestos, and some other products using talc (rubber band dust) involved so little talc that, in our opinion, it's not likely that there is a measurable asbestos hazard from their use or presence.

This page supports our separate InspectApedia article:

ASBESTOS in TALCUM POWDER

where you can also read more about recent litigation arguing that talc-containing baby & body powders may be carcinogenic.

 

Lung cancer related X-rays from Kim (2013) cited in this article at InspectApedia.com

Anthophyllite asbestos altering to talc, photo courtesy USGS, cited and used in the NIOSH article cited below at InspectApedia.com (2011)

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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

Reader Question: Really worried about recent J&J baby powder asbestos warnings: Please Help Me

I have used baby powder since i was baby what are the chances of getting mesothelioma

I used talcum powder until I was 45 years old and I am really worried. I am really really worried about the recent J&J baby powder asbestos warning. Please help. Thank you joe - On 2018-12-18

Reply by (mod) - what are the chances of getting mesothelioma vs other hazards vs health effects of worry & stress?

Joe,

The cancer risk for an individual who used J&J talc is not something for which I can find a single simple answer, but is a question you should discuss with your doctor. S/he and you know your personal risk factors besides age, such as family history of cancer, exposures to other environmental hazards etc.

The actual presence of asbestos in talc sold by J&J appears to have varied from none detected to extremely low (some researchers chose not to report it at all, claiming the level was too low to be meaningful), to possibly significant - according to conflicting research reports.

Watch out: don't let anxiety about this become its own health risk for you, and more urgently, don't let worry about a statistically unlikely (though I agree horrible) cancer illness to so distract you that you fail to attend far more likely hazards to life and health.

If there is a risk of ovarian cancer from heavy regular and prolonged use of asbestos-containing talc, that risk is likely to be small but we absolutely acknowledge that in ensuing ligitation a large class of claimants has formed.

Still, statistically you're FAR more likely to die in an automobile accident or to suffer serious illness by falling down stairs, perhaps exacerbated by driving an unsafe car or using unsafe stairs missing handrailings and stair guards.

According to the ACS American Cancer Society ( https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/talcum-powder-and-cancer.html )
most concerns about a possible link between talcum powder and cancer have been focused on:

Whether people who have long-term exposure to talc particles at work, such as talc miners, are at higher risk of lung cancer from breathing them in.

Whether women who apply talcum powder regularly in the genital area have an increased risk of ovarian cancer.

Talc that has asbestos is generally accepted as being able to cause cancer if it is inhaled.

Many studies in women have looked at the possible link between talcum powder and cancer of the ovary. Findings have been mixed, with some studies reporting a slightly increased risk and some reporting no increase.

Many case-control studies have found a small increase in risk. But these types of studies can be biased because they often rely on a person’s memory of talc use many years earlier. One prospective cohort study, which would not have the same type of potential bias, has not found an increased risk. A second found a modest increase in risk of one type of ovarian cancer.

For any individual woman, if there is an increased risk, the overall increase is likely to very be small.

Findings have been mixed, with some studies reporting a slightly increased risk and some reporting no increase. Many case-control studies have found a small increase in risk. But these types of studies can be biased because they often rely on a person’s memory of talc use many years earlier.

Recent reports updating the status of asbestos, talc litigation involving Johnson & Johnson:

  • Rabin, Roni Caryn& Tiffany Hsu, "Baby Powder’s Possible Asbestos Link Worried Johnson & Johnson for Years

    Johnson & Johnson says its product is safe. But asbestos, a carcinogen that can exist underground near talc, was a concern inside the company for decades.", The New York Times, 14

    December 2018, original source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/14/business/baby-powder-asbestos-johnson-johnson.html
    Excerpt:

    But Aviam Elkies, who was a doctoral candidate and testified that Johnson & Johnson had funded him to work in Mr. Lewin’s lab in 1972 analyzing samples from talc mines supplying the company, said he and Mr. Lewin had detected asbestos in at least half the samples they tested.

    “It appeared randomly in samples taken from the same mines,” Mr. Elkies said in an interview in Israel, where he lives. “It appeared in different concentrations. There was no pattern, no way to predict.”
  • Reuters, "Special Report: J&J Knew for Decades That Asbestos Lurked in Its Baby Powder", in The New York Times, 14 December 2018, original source: https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2018/12/14/us/14reuters-johnson-johnson-cancer-special-report.html

Reader Question: Thinks it's difficult for post-shower talcum powder use to be cause of ovarian cancer

In order for post-shower talcum powder use to have been the cause of ovarian cancer: think about it, even with daily use, there was a small quantity of asbestos fibers in the powder, applied in small quantities, then the asbestos fibers have to travel up the reproductive tract to the ovaries and accumulate in enough quantity to cause inflammation and cellular damage over years.

Wouldn’t there also be more peritoneal, vaginal, uterine, and fallopian tube cancer occurrences?

As well as the typical inhalation resultant issues? - On 2018-12-16 by ShelliG -

Reply by (mod)

Shelli

you are certainly touching on a topic which you probably knew received a lot of media attention recently including in the New York Times.

Confusing and disturbing were reports with conflicting comments and statements about whether or not asbestos was present in talcum powder sold by J&J.

Some of the article quoted very disturbing reports and conflicting interests when it came to funding some of the studies.

Separate from those concerns your question is one that's been touched on before.

Neither of us is the medical expert on the topic and should not just rust our intuition. It's entirely possible that different body tissues respond differently to fibers are other contaminants.

The argument you raise is similar to one that has been made by some of the manufacturers.


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RELATION of TALC & ASBESTOS to OVARIAN CANCER at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


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