Talcum powder has been a staple in consumer and industrial products for over a century despite mounting health concerns. Medical experts have increasingly warned about potential cancer risks linked to talc use. These concerns generated thousands of lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson beginning in 2013 which often resulted in massive jury awards.
Plaintiffs alleged Johnson & Johnson talc products contained asbestos that caused serious illnesses including lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and mesothelioma in those exposed. Johnson & Johnson faced a landmark setback recently with a record $63.4 million verdict in an asbestos-linked lung cancer case, representing a growing recognition of talc dangers and financial challenges for the company.
For those who have received a lung cancer diagnosis and have a history of using talcum powder, seeking legal guidance from attorneys well-versed in asbestos exposure cases is essential. Mesowatch serves as a valuable resource, connecting you with highly qualified legal professionals who can assess your eligibility for compensation and guide you through the process of pursuing justice.
Does Talcum Powder Cause Cancer?
Depending on who you ask, you may receive a different response for whether talcum powder causes cancer.
- Yes. Some studies linked the use of talcum powder to a higher risk of mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, epithelial ovarian cancer, and other types of cancer.
- No. Johnson & Johnson, the American Cancer Society, and others state Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder does not contain asbestos. Further, these organizations argue no link has been found between talcum powder and cancer.
- Maybe. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, a group within the World Health Organization (WHO), states the genital use of talc-based body powder is “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”
Many studies and lawsuits focus on this exact question. In this article, we discuss some of the studies looking into the relationship between talc powder and lung cancer.
How Does Talcum Powder Cause Cancer?
Talc is a soft mineral mined below ground and refined for usage in an assortment of products, including talcum powder items. Asbestos could contaminate the talc because natural talc regularly forms near asbestos underground. Carcinogens are cancer-causing substances and asbestos is a known carcinogen. When mined, one substance can dirty the other and produce a cancer risk.
When inhaled, ingested, or absorbed into the skin, the asbestos-tainted talcum powder raises a person’s chance of developing malignancy. Tainted talc powder travels to tissues in the chest, abdomen, or ovaries. The body cannot eliminate these particles, so the powder lingers in bodily tissues, inducing illness and cancer.
How is Occupational Exposure to Talcum Powder Linked to Lung Cancer?
Numerous investigations have suggested talc miners face an increased risk of lung cancer. In a review of an exploration examining the affiliation between inhaled talc and lung cancer, scientists discovered talc may heighten the peril of lung cancer.
Nonetheless, these studies could be biased because miners working below ground are also exposed to other substances that may boost lung cancer hazards such as radon. No studies have definitively connected cosmetic talcum powder to an amplified risk of lung cancer.
Lab Studies Evaluating the Relationship Between Talcum Powder and Lung Cancer
The National Toxicology Program in 1993 studied how inhaling talc powder affected rats and mice.
Study Method
This research project conducted toxicology and carcinogenicity testing of non-asbestos cosmetic talc. Laboratory mice and rats were exposed to talc aerosols under controlled conditions. They used F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice that have specific genetic traits often selected for cancer research.
Male F344/N rats were exposed to talc for six hours daily, five days a week, for a period of up to one hundred thirteen weeks. Female rats were exposed for up to one hundred twenty-two weeks. Groups of B6C3F1 mice received similar exposure durations but for only one hundred four weeks regardless of sex.
The Findings
The studies done by The National Toxicology Program found evidence that inhaling talc powder has a carcinogenic effect on rats. This effect caused tumors in the lungs and adrenal glands of the rats. The study showed mice having chronic inflammation of the lungs. However, there was no clear evidence of carcinogenic activity in the mice due to talc powder inhalation.
Research on the Relationship Between Talcum Powder and Lung Cancer in Humans
To evaluate the relationship between talcum powder and lung cancer, researchers examine cancer risk among different people over time. The study might compare cancer risk in two groups of people: one group that was exposed to a potentially cancer-causing substance and a separate group that was not exposed to that substance. Below are a few of the past studies looking at the relationship between talcum powder and lung cancer.
1967 – Upstate New York Talc Miners and Millers
Morris Kleinfeld and colleagues from the State University of New York conducted a study of several talc miners and millers in talc mines in upstate New York.
Study Method Overview: Researchers followed the medical progress of 32 talc workers diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis lung disease via chest x-ray surveys in 1940, 1954, and 1964.
Findings: The data showed lung cancer and pleura mortality were approximately four times higher than expected.
2002 – R.T. Vanderbilt Company’s Talc Mine in Upstate New York
Mindy J. Hull and Jerrod L. Abraham of State University of New York Medical University and colleagues conducted a study among talc miners in R. T. Vanderbilt Company’s talc mine in Upstate New York.
Study Method Overview: Researchers examined the similarity between the lung fiber burden of talc miners with and without mesothelioma. They determined the presence or absence of retained asbestos contamination in the talc fibers. Using multiple types of lab analysis techniques, they detected asbestos fibers in the lung tissue.
Findings: Researchers found excess cases of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related lung diseases due to asbestos exposure.
2002 – French and Austrian Talc Mines
Wild P. and colleagues conducted a mortality study among talc miners and millers in various French and Austrian talc mines over 20 years.
Study Method Overview: Researchers surveyed talc workers hired in the talc mines during 1945–94 and who were employed for more than one year.
A mortality follow-up survey in 1946 obtained a vital status of 97% in both men and women. This vital status identifies whether the person is living or deceased. A second follow-up in 1968 showed a 74% mortality rate post-1946. In 2001, a third follow-up evidenced a 98% mortality rate post-1968.
Findings: Researchers concluded that the high total exposure to talc powder was related to mortality from non-malignant respiratory disease. However, talc powder didn’t seem to be the cause of the small increase in lung cancer.
2017 – Northern Italy
Enrico Pira and colleagues conducted an updated 2017 mortality study of talc miners and millers in Northern Italy.
Study Method Overview: Researchers looked at the mortality from 1946 to 2013 of 1,722 male talc workers in an asbestos-free talc mine who were employed between 1946 and 1995.
Findings: Researchers found no association between exposure to asbestos-free talc and lung cancer or mesothelioma.
How to Reduce Talc Exposure
The easiest method to reduce your exposure to talc is to limit your use of products that contain talc powder. One way to reduce your use of those products is to find alternatives when possible.
What Products Have Talc Powder in Them?
Talcum powder can be found in many items including paper, plastics, and personal-care items. Talc is used in the following products:
- Food as an anti-caking agent, dispersing agent, anti-stick coating, and processing aid.
- Ceramic wall tiles, floor tiles, sanitaryware, tableware, refractories, and technical ceramics.
- Coatings such as paint, inks, joint compounds, putties, and adhesives.
- Paper to improve printability, reduce surface friction, and absorb sticky resin.
- Baby powder, body powder, cosmetics, beauty creams, soap, deodorant, and other perineal talc use products.
- Plastics such as automotive parts, appliances, white goods, polymers, and food packaging contain talc powder.
- Rubber such as molded rubber parts, sealants, gaskets, cables, and tires use talc products for unmolding and friction.
- Water when wastewater treatment companies use talc products as an environmentally friendly mineral additive to break down bacteria.
Alternatives to Talc Products
Instead of using products that may contain asbestos-laced talcum powder, you can use safer plant-based products to minimize the risk of cancer. These products can also absorb moisture and oil, and reduce odors.
These products include:
- Cornstarch
- Baking Soda
- Tapioca Starch
- Arrowroot Starch
- Rice Starch
- Oat Flour
Additionally, kaolin clay, a cosmetic clay, is absorbent and gentle like baby powder. It can be used as a substitute for talcum powder. The clay can be blended with safer products such as baking soda or oat flour. This blend makes it feel more like cosmetic talc and less abrasive on the skin.
How to Protect Yourself from Talc if Exposure is Unavoidable?
Talc is listed on the Right to Know Hazardous Substance List for many states because it is cited by OSHA, ACGIH, NIOSH, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a carcinogen. Further, contact with it can irritate the skin and eyes causing a skin rash and possible eye damage. Inhaling talc can irritate the nose, throat, and lungs.
Some jobs may put workers at risk for cancer from occupational exposure to talc. However, employers can protect workers with the use of preventative equipment.
For example, if the potential of talc exposure is over 2mg/m3, use a NIOSH-approved negative pressure, air-purifying, particulate filter respirator with an N95 filter to prevent inhalation of talc particles.
Mesowatch can help victims obtain compensation. If you were exposed to contaminated talc, we can help you find a lawyer experienced in asbestos-related lung diseases and cancers. Contact us now.
