On talc translocation from the vagina to the oviducts and beyond

The objective of this study was to investigate whether multiple vaginal depositions of neutron-activated talc in the cynomolgus monkey result in the translocation of this material to the uterus and beyond. Within a 45-day period, six monkeys received 30 applications of 125 mg neutron-activated talc, suspended in 0.3 ml physiological saline solution containing 1% carboxymethyl cellulose as a suspending agent. The suspension was deposited in the posterior vaginal fornix of the sedated monkeys. Two days after the final talc application, the animals were anaesthetized. Abdominal lavage was performed and the lavage fluid collected for gamma-ray analysis. Also collected for gamma-ray analysis were the following tissues/organs: ovaries, oviducts, uterus, and vagina with cervix. Six untreated control monkeys underwent the same procedures. The radioisotopes 46Sc, 60Co, 59Fe and 51Cr in the activated talc served as tracers. Only the samples containing vagina and cervix from the dosed monkeys contained varying quantities of talc. This demonstrates that no measurable quantities of talc, deposited by multiple applications in the vaginal fornix of the cynomolgus monkey, translocated to the uterus or beyond.