Study reveals 'consistent association' between genital talc, ovarian cancer
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Key takeaways:
- Genital talc, douching had positive associations with ovarian cancer.
- Neither intimate care product had associations with breast or uterine cancer.
Genital talc powder use increased risk for ovarian cancer in cohort of women, according to study results published in Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Additionally, frequent douching and douching during young adulthood also had associations with increased ovarian cancer risk.
“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,” Katie M. O’Brien, PhD, MSPH, researcher at the epidemiology branch of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, said in an ASCO-issued press release. “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.”
Previous studies have examined associations between intimate care products, particularly talc and ovarian cancer, but “recall bias and exposure misclassification” clouded findings, according to background information provided by the researchers.
O’Brien and colleagues accounted for these potential limitations by conducting a quantitative bias analysis of the potential risks intimate care products have on developing hormone-related cancers. They used data from the prospective Sister Study, which enrolled 50,884 women who had a sister with breast cancer.
Collection of participants’ genital talc use and douching habits took place during enrollment from 2003 to 2009 and follow-up from 2017 to 2019.
Over the timeframe of the study, 35% to 56% of the examined cohort used genital talc and 41% to 64% of the cohort douched.
Genital talc had positive associations with ovarian cancer (HR = 1.17-3.34). Even after adjusting for positive biases, HRs still eclipsed 1.
Neither genital talc use nor douching had associations with uterine or breast cancer.
“This study underscores the potential risks associated with intimate care products, particularly genital talc,” Fumiko Chino, MD, radiation oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and a member of Healio’s Women in Oncology Peer Perspective Board, said in the release. “The evidence adds to a growing body of literature that suggests such products could contribute to an increased risk [for] ovarian cancer, especially among frequent users and those using these products in their 20s and 30s.”
References:
ASCO. Study finds association between genital talc use and increased risk of ovarian cancer (press release). Available at: https://society.asco.org/about-asco/press-center/news-releases/study-finds-association-between-genital-talc-use-and-increased. Published May 15, 2024. Accessed May 16, 2024.
O’Brien KM, et al. J Clin Oncol. 2024;doi:10.1200/JCO.23.02037.
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