Critical review of the association between perineal use of talc powder and risk of ovarian cancer

Mohamed Kadry Taher; Nawal Farhat; Nataliya A Karyakina; Nataliya Shilnikova; Siva Ramoju; Christopher A Gravel; Kannan Krishnan; Donald Mattison; Shi-Wu Wen; Daniel Krewski

doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.08.015

Critical review of the association between perineal use of talc powder and risk of ovarian cancer

Reprod Toxicol. 2019 Dec:90:88-101. doi: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.08.015. Epub 2019 Aug 28.

Affiliations

¹ Risk Sciences International, 251 Laurier Ave W, Suite 700, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5J6, Canada; McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada; School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada. Electronic address: Mohamed.Taher@uOttawa.ca.
² Risk Sciences International, 251 Laurier Ave W, Suite 700, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5J6, Canada; McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada; School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada.
³ Risk Sciences International, 251 Laurier Ave W, Suite 700, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5J6, Canada; McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada.
⁴ Risk Sciences International, 251 Laurier Ave W, Suite 700, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5J6, Canada.
⁵ McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada; School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, 1020 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, QC, H3A 1A2, Canada.
⁶ School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada; OMNI Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada; G. Nanhai Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.

PMID: 31472245
DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.08.015

Abstract

Over the past four decades, there has been increasing concern that perineal use of talc powder, a commonly used personal care product, might be associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer.

Objectives: To critically review all available human epidemiological data on the relationship between perineal use of talc powder and ovarian cancer, with consideration of other relevant experimental evidence.

Methodology: We identified 30 human studies for qualitative assessment of evidence, including 27 that were retained for further quantitative analysis.

Results: A positive association between perineal use of talc powder and ovarian cancer was found [OR: 1.28 (95% CI: 1.20-1.37)]. A significant risk was noted in Hispanics and Whites, in women applying talc to underwear, in pre-menopausal women and in post-menopausal women receiving hormonal therapy. A negative association was noted with tubal ligation.

Conclusion: Perineal use of talc powder is a possible cause of human ovarian cancer.

Keywords: Critical review; Epidemiological studies; Meta-analysis; Ovarian cancer; Perineal; Talc; Toxicological studies.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Female
Humans
Ovarian Neoplasms / chemically induced*
Ovarian Neoplasms / epidemiology
Perineum*
Talc / toxicity*

Substances

Talc