Originally published August 30 2010
Talcum Powder is Linked to Ovarian Cancer
by Maddie Ellison
(NaturalNews) Every year approximately 13,850 women die of ovarian cancer with 21,880 new cases of the disease reported every year. What makes ovarian cancer so deadly is the fact that it's a silent disease. Many women won't even know they have it until it's too late. For years people have known there are several risk factors for getting ovarian cancer: being overweight, hormone replacement therapy and fertility drugs. But there is another risk factor that the majority of the public is unaware of - Talcum powder.
Talcum powder is widely used from the time we are infants all through adulthood. And the makers of these talc products (those who make baby products, women's personal care products and the makers of latex products) all know of the dangers but refuse to put it on the label.
Scientists have known since the late 1960's that talc is dangerous. In one study done in 1971 researchers found particles of talc in 75 percent of the ovarian tumors they studied. In another study done by 19 scientists in 8 different countries, research showed that there is a 30-60 percent increased risk of ovarian cancer if talc is used in the genital area. Study after study for the last 50 years shows that talc is dangerous.
Johnson and Johnson said in an article in 1982 that they are aware of the many publications on the dangers of talcum powder and they were aware of a specific publication that said that the "frequent genital application of talc was responsible for a three-fold increased risk of ovarian cancer." If you check the National Cancer Institute's website and search ovarian cancer it even comes up under "risk factors" that talcum powder is known to cause ovarian cancer. So why aren't there warning labels on products containing talc? It's because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not think this is a real issue, despite the many studies.
A group of several doctors have been trying for the last few years to get labels put on talc products with no success. The group wants a warning label such as the following placed on products that contain talc: "Frequent application of talcum powder in the female genital area substantially increases the risk of ovarian cancer."
Ovarian cancer is the 4th most common fatal cancer in women after colon, breast and lung cancers. Prevention is as easy as discontinuing the use of all products that contain talcum powder. You can write to the FDA and tell them you want warning labels put on all products that contain talc so millions of women and children will no longer be unknowingly exposed.
Resources:
http://bcaction.org/index.php?page=newslette...
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/ova...
http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/Ot...
About the author
Maddie is a health and fitness enthusiast who likes to research and write about all health and green living topics. She writes about herbal remedies for Sassafras Station, a health and fitness website, and edits the blog at http://www.sassafrasstation.com/blog/ .
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