Does use of talc containing products increase a woman’s change of cancer? Elizabeth Tracey reports

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Women who used talc-containing products genitally may be at increased risk for ovarian cancer, but not for breast cancer, a new study finds. Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson at Johns Hopkins says this study attempted to eliminate certain biases from women’s recall in order to more clearly identify an association. 

Nelson: In this study there was an association of talc use with ovarian cancer and it was substantial. Ovarian cancer of course is not a cancer that arises in the ovary, it arises in the fallopian tube. We now know, that was not known when all this was happening before. If there's anything in the fallopian tube that causes irritation or chronic inflammation leads to cancer rarely but is at the root of almost all cancers of epithelial cells, so that's what's going on I suspect that would be the mechanism.   :29

Nelson notes that Johnson and Johnson has just agreed to a settlement with some women with ovarian cancer, and about 9000 lawsuits remain, all linking cancer to genital use of baby powder. He says it may not be the talc itself but another contaminant but recommends against using it. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.