Ingestion of titanium dioxide as an excipient in medicines and the risk of cancer: a nationwide study within the French National health data system.

ABSTRACT: Concerns about the safety of titanium dioxide (TiO₂), including potential carcinogenicity, have prompted its ban in foods in the European Union, while remaining allowed as pharmaceutical excipient. We aimed to evaluate whether ingesting increasing quantities of TiO₂ through medicines is associated with higher cancer risk. Data were derived from the French National Health Data System, a nationwide medico-administrative database. A case-control study was nested within two cohorts: users of metformin (all doses) and users of 200 mg acebutolol, both available in TiO₂-containing and TiO₂-free formulations. During 2013-2021, 293,101 cancer cases were identified and matched to 2,930,633 controls. TiO₂ exposure through metformin and acebutolol

SUBMITTER: Cairat M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12304061 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature