Talcum Powder and OC!!!!

[phia]

Has everyone seen this link? What the heck has been going on - Johnson & Johnson knew of the risk more than 30 years ago. I used it on myself and on my 5 babies - I'm guessing I'm wasn't the only one!

[Katmal-UK]

Seen it this morning. I imagine a lot of claims will follow. Not sure how it's proved though?

[keeponkeepingon]

A friend of mine used it on her girls,her youngest was found to have oca at the age of 19,who knows if that was the cause,I would think that most babies of the 60's and 70's came in to contact with it,time will tell.

[Sunfleury-UK]

Ive seen responses from two of the OVCA charities this morning... ovarian.org.uk/news-and-cam...

targetovariancancer.org.uk/...

I expect there will be quite a bit more discussion to follow.... Sx

[Maus123]

I have no scientific insight into this link but just from a gut feel perspective this one seems a little difficult to follow. Never used talc since baby age (and probably very sparingly then), yet still got OC . But my gut never received a medical degree either!

The charity responses are quite cautious at the moment but that said... even if it's a relatively small risk, it should be disclosed properly on the bottles because of the seriousness of the disease and the impact it has on a woman's life.

[indego]

I was at a charity dinner for Ovarian Cancer Council Australia over 10 years ago, and the mentioned that they were investigating the link between OC and talc... So there's been studies going of for a while now, and there's still "no conclusive link."

Personally, I would have thought that if it was as strong link evidence would have been found within a decade.

There might be a correlation, but you can correlate all sorts of stuff (There's several great sites dedicated to linking up random correlations) I'm sure you could correlate liking red apples over green apples to OC.

(That said, when it's hot and I feel the need to use powder, I will only use a talc free option. Valid or not, I've figured something so easy to switch out wasn't worth the potential risk, no matter how small. Still got OC though, haha.)

I'll be reading all the new research as it comes out, and I'm quite interested in the findings...

But what really sticks out for me is that this finding was made by a jury.

A group of 12 random people, with no educational requirements, were convinced by a lawyer that talc could cause OC.

A group of 12 people were convinced that a grieving family presented a case better than a faceless corporation. That's it.

Nothing was actually proven here.

[thesilent1]

I must admit I like talc after a bath or shower so use it every day. Old fashioned I know but I just prefer it. However I'm confused. Is out absorbed through the skin? I don't go putting it around my nether regions so it can't poissibky creep up inside me! Ann

[JanePW1965 in reply to thesilent1]

Hi Ann. My Mum has always used talc and I'd heard about the possible link with OC. I was also wondering how it could happen as I don't think Mum put it around her nether regions either !!! Jane x

[annieH1]

It's all over social media.I don't think it can be stated for a certainty.There wasn't blind surveys done.10 yrs ago BRACA genetics wasnt a word we heard in association with cancer.I guess it's risk factors,genetics and predisposed etc to cancer.

I don't think the article covered the full case because it seems unreal to me the a company as global as J&J hadn't scientists,specialists etc involved in the case.

[indego]

Just found this:

theness.com/neurologicablog...

"What all of this evidence means is that the likely upper limit of increased risk for ovarian cancer from regular genital talc use is an absolute risk increase of 0.004%. That translates to 4 extra cases of ovarian cancer for every one million genital talc users."

[LouiseOvacome My Ovacome Team]

Just to allay concerns. J&J were punished by the jury for less than open declarations and a perception that they had tried to withhold concerns. There has long been an association of unknown cause. Pathologists have found talc in Tumor samples, but surgeons gloves have talc in them so was the talc in the samples from the patient or the surgeon?

There were lots of retrospective studies which asked women who had received a OC diagnosis if they used talc - These showed a correlation between talc and OC But these retrospective studies are notoriously unreliable. We look for answers and explanations and are more ready to 'own' stuff that might be causative. The only prospective study (Asking women without a diagnosis and then reviewing after a few years) showed no correlation.

So some low level evidence exists, but the scientifically most robust study says that there is no connection.

Ovacome has advised against talc use for many years, but this is based on 'soft' science.

I hope this helps, but please do call the helpline nurses on 0207 299 6650 if you have any concerns.