Is talc a carcinogen?

A report by experts from the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer indicates that doctors have noticed an increase in ovarian cancer cases among women who used talcum body powder.

The report stated: “A working group of 29 international experts classified talc as a probable human carcinogen (Group 2A) based on limited data on the presence of cancer in humans (ovarian cancer) and sufficient data on the detection of this cancer in laboratory animals. There is also convincing evidence that talc exhibits major carcinogenic properties in primary human cells and in laboratory systems.”

Experts point out that an increase in ovarian cancer cases has been observed among women who reported using talcum powder for their bodies. An increase in ovarian cancer has also been observed in studies devoted to its effect on women working in the cellulose and paper industry. Experiments conducted on laboratory mice using talcum powder showed an increase in their incidence of malignant tumors.

It should be noted that, although the experts who prepared the report are not entirely certain that the talc used is officially asbestos-free and was not contaminated with asbestos, the results of their study confirm that the current assessment of talc supersedes previous assessments of “asbestos-free talc.” According to the report, the working group only used studies in which asbestos contamination of talc was highly unlikely.

In 2006, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified talc-based powders as possibly carcinogenic, placing them in the least hazardous group (Group 2B) of powders. The current report shows that inhalation of talc particles, which do not officially contain asbestos, is not classified as a carcinogen for the human body.