A woman who tragically died from a type of cancer linked to asbestos exposure may have been exposed to the deadly fibres through talcum power.
Area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Elizabeth Gray, opened Margaret Brown's inquest at Vantage House, in Huntingdon, on Tuesday March 17.
The brief hearing heard how Ms Brown, who died in Peterborough on September 3 last year, had "no occupational history of exposure to asbestos".
However, a provisional cause of death was given as malignant epithelioid mesothelioma, a rare cancer that develops in the mesothelium.
The coroner revealed "there is a belief" Ms Brown, 74, "may have been exposed through talcum powder".
Ms Gray adjourned the inquest which is set to be dealt with by way of a written decision on the week of March 30.
Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring minerals and was widely used in buildings, factories and insulation.
When disturbed, it releases microscopic fibres that can become lodged in the lungs when inhaled.
According to the Health and Safety Executive, prolonged exposure can result in mesothelioma, which can often develop decades later.
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