Report: Female African-American Talc Users at Greater Risk for Ovarian Cancer

A recent Reuters report highlighted a study showing that African-American women who use body powder with talc are at a higher risk for ovarian cancer than black women who don’t use talc.

Convincing a Former Skeptic

According to the report, a University of Virginia researcher had long doubted the link between ovarian cancer and talc-based products such as baby powder. However, the results of her study caused a change of heart, and she now recommends that women avoid talc altogether.

The researcher and her team talked to nearly 600 African-American women who had ovarian cancer and another 745 black women who do not have the disease. The team found that 63 percent of women with ovarian cancer used talc-based baby powder in their genital area, compared to 53 percent of healthy respondents.

This study, according to Reuters, shows a stronger link between ovarian cancer and talcum powder than previous research indicated.

Approximately 14,500 women die from ovarian cancer each year, with another 20,000 receiving a diagnosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control.