Asbestos & Mesothelioma: Talcum Powder Stops Growth of Lung Tumors

Researchers from the University of Florida say that talcum powder can help stop blood flow to metastatic lung tumors. Because metastatic tumors depend on blood flow to fuel their growth, the finding has important implications. Talc helps stimulate healthy cells to produce endostatin, which is a hormone that has been championed as the magic bullet for treating lung cancer.

Talcum Powder Stunts Growth of Lung Tumors

Veena Antony, M.D., a professor of pulmonary medicine and chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine at UF's College of Medicine, says: “We found, to our surprise, that talc causes tumor growth to slow down and actually decreases the tumor bulk. Talc is able to prevent the formation of blood vessels, thereby killing the tumor and choking off its growth. The tumors appeared to grow much slower and in some cases completely disappeared.”