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Genital talc associated with increased risk of ovarian cancer

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Articles & Research

New study by NIEHS scientists provides compelling evidence that genital talc use is associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer. (Read more here about the study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.)

Using talcum powder as an intimate care product may be linked with increased risk of developing ovarian cancer, according to a new study led by NIEHS scientist Katie O’Brien, Ph.D., Dale Sandler, Ph.D., chief of the NIEHS Epidemiology Branch, and collaborators. The study — the first of its kind to include detailed data on women’s use of intimate care products across the entire life course — was published May 15 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology along with an accompanying editorial.

This extensive analysis, conducted using information collected from women in the Sister Study cohort, revisits the association between intimate care products and cancer and incorporates rigorous adjustments for biases that might have affected the results of earlier studies. The study analyzed data from a cohort of women who were initially cancer-free who reported their use of intimate care products like genital talc and douching over time. An especially unique aspect of the study was the use of quantitative bias analysis to assess the impact of potential errors in reporting use of intimate care products, including possible differential reporting related to being diagnosed or not diagnosed with cancer.

“Despite challenges in assessing exposure history and biases inherent in retrospective data, our findings are robust, showing a consistent association between genital talc use and ovarian cancer,” said O’Brien, the lead study author. “This study leverages detailed lifetime exposure histories, and the unique design of the Sister Study, to provide more reliable evidence that supports a potential association between long-term and frequent genital talc use and ovarian cancer.”

The key findings are as follows.

  • Persistent positive association between genital talc use and ovarian cancer, with the strongest associations observed for frequent and long-term users and for use during the reproductive years.
  • No significant associations found between genital talc use or douching and breast or uterine cancer.
  • Douching showed a possible association with ovarian cancer, warranting further investigation.