Talc may increase risk of ovarian cancer

Regular use of talc in the genital area was significantly associated with an increased risk for ovarian cancer in a new analysis reported in the September issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention. The researchers say that genital use of talc should be avoided.

This is not a new finding — the association between genital talc use and an increased risk for ovarian cancer has been reported previously, and was confirmed in a meta-analysis of 16 studies.

These latest results "provide additional support for a main effect of genital talc exposure on epithelial ovarian cancer," say the researchers. Also, the finding of highly significant trends between increasing frequency of use and risk "strengthens the evidence of an association, because most previous studies have not observed a dose response," they point out.

However, there is no risk from using talc elsewhere on the body.