A growing body of research linking talcum powder to ovarian cancer has led to a recent volley of product liability lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson and other companies in the talc industry.

Talc is a naturally-occurring mineral containing magnesium silicate. Its ability to absorb water and reduce friction has made it popular as a cosmetic and skin protectant for generations. Physically, talc has much in common with cancer-causing asbestos, and the two minerals are commonly found together in nature.

In the U.S., talc-based consumer products have been asbestos-free since the 1970s. However, like asbestos, talc is composed of microscopic fibers that take years to dissolve.

Scientists theorize the talcum powder applied near the genital area can migrate through the vagina, uterus and fallopian tubes and lodge in the ovaries. Indeed, some studies have found talc in human ovarian tissue, and others found a lower risk of talc powder cancer in women who had undergone surgical sterilization that would block talcum powder’s path from the uterus to the ovaries.

Earlier findings of a relationship between talcum powder and cancer were attributed to the presence of asbestos in the powder. However, studies conducted since the early 1980s, after the U.S. asbestos ban, have found an association between talc and the risk of ovarian cancer.

A 2013 review of eight different research papers found an increased risk of ovarian cancer of between 20 percent and 30 percent in almost 2,000 women who used talcum powder in the genital area.

Although ovarian cancer is not especially common, it is particularly deadly. It results in over 14,000 deaths in the U.S. each year, making it the most deadly form of gynecological cancer. It is usually diagnosed at a late stage, at which point the patient’s prognosis is poor.

Some scientists caution that the risk of talc powder cancer is not as alarming as it may sound. They note that some studies found no relationship between talcum powder and ovarian cancer, and in those that did, the increased risk was relatively slight.

They also note that studies in humans depend on self-reporting about powder use, which is inherently unreliable. And the actual biological mechanism by which talc could cause cancer is not certain.

But despite these misgivings, the lethality of ovarian cancer has led some cancer research institutions to recommend consumers err on the safe side by avoiding use of talcum powder in the genital area. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies talcum powder as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” when used in the genital area.

The American Cancer Society recommends consumers switch to cornstarch-based products to reduce their exposure to talc. There has been no association with ovarian cancer risk found with cornstarch as there has been with talc.

Talc Powder Cancer Lawsuits

Two of the most popular talc-based powders, Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower, are manufactured by Johnson & Johnson. That company is defending itself against at least 70 talc powder cancer lawsuits in New Jersey alone, where the company is headquartered.

Nationwide, an estimated 700 cancer victims or their survivors have filed talc powder cancer lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson as well as Imerys Talc America, Inc., which supplies talc to Johnson & Johnson.

These lawsuits allege that Johnson & Johnson failed to warn consumers about the risk of baby powder cancer and, despite that risk, purposely marketed its talcum powders to women for feminine hygiene use. The company responds by arguing the association found in studies is weak and that the studies were corrupted by bias.