The WHO says that talc “probably” causes cancer

The World Health Organization’s cancer agency on Friday labeled talc as “probably carcinogenic” to humans, but an outside expert warned against misinterpreting the notice as a “smoking gun”.

The decision was based on “limited evidence” that talc can cause ovarian cancer in humans, “sufficient evidence” that it is associated with cancer in rats and “strong mechanistic evidence” that it shows carcinogenicity in human cells, the International Food Agency said. WHO research. on Cancer (IARC).

Talc is a naturally occurring mineral that is mined in many parts of the world and is often used to make baby powder.

Most people are exposed to talc in the form of baby powder or cosmetics, according to the Lyon-based IARC.

But the most significant exposure to talc occurs when talc is mined, processed or used to make products, he added.

The agency said there are numerous studies that consistently show increased rates of ovarian cancer in women who use talc on their genitals.

However, it cannot be ruled out that the talc in some studies was contaminated with cancer-causing asbestos.

“The causal role of talc could not be fully established,” according to the agency’s findings published in Lancet Oncology.

Kevin McConway, a statistician at Britain’s Open University who was not involved in the research, warned that for the IARC assessment, “the most obvious interpretation is actually misleading”.

The agency aims only to “answer the question of whether a substance has the potential to cause cancer under certain conditions that IARC does not specify,” he said.

Because the studies were observational and thus could not prove causation, “there is no smoking gun that talc use causes any increased risk of cancer,” he added.

The announcement comes just weeks after US pharmaceutical and cosmetics giant Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay $700 million to settle allegations that it misled customers about the safety of its talcum powder products.

Johnson & Johnson did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement, although it pulled the product from the North American market in 2020.

A summary of studies published in 2020 involving 250,000 women in the United States found no statistical association between genital talc use and ovarian cancer risk.

Also on Friday, the IARC classified acrylonitrile, a chemical compound used to make polymers, as “carcinogenic to humans,” the highest warning level.

He cited “substantial evidence” linking acrylonitrile to lung cancer.

Polymers made with acrylonitrile are used in everything from fibers in clothing to carpets, plastics and other consumer products.

© 2024 AFP