The use of talc products in conjunction with genital hygiene has been linked to ovarian cancer in case-control studies. The potential for talc to create inflammation, injury, and functional changes within cells has been reported. Here, a hamster model was used in a 1987 case study that employed talc and granite dust exposure to observe the exposure effects on a variety of biochemical and cellular inflammatory markers (Beck et al. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 87:222-34, 1987). The current study conducted a new analysis on the key materials from the original experiment, which included analyzing the original talc dust with contemporary scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray analysis (SEM/EDX) for contaminants.

The findings of the case study supported the hypothesis that talc can cause inflammation and contribute to lung disease, regardless of asbestos and other known toxic chemicals being present. The re-analysis of the original materials used in the 1987 case study also supported the conclusion of that original experiment.

View full medical article (PDF)