Talc Powder and Ovarian Cancer

There is currently talcum powder issues where women, that have a history of using talc products; Johnson’s® Baby Powder and Shower to Shower Body Powder on their genitals, were diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Scientific studies and the World Health Organization have determined an association between long term genital usage of talcum powder and cancer. During June 2013, Cancer Prevention Research published a study that determined females that have a history of using talc-containing powder in their genital areas have a twenty to thirty percent increased risk of contracting ovarian cancer. Presented with scientific determination, expert opinion, and factual evidence, a jury in St. Louis found that Johnson & Johnson failed to warn people regarding the risk of ovarian cancer associated with the genital region use of its talc-based powders. Internal company documents disclosed during the trial indicate that Johnson & Johnson was aware of the studies and attempted to discredit them. The jury awarded $72 million in compensation to the family of a woman who succumbed to ovarian cancer and had a history of using Johnsons Baby Powder and Shower to Shower Body Powder.

The Connection Between Talcum Powder & Ovarian Cancer
The earliest scientific research to describe a potential connection between talc and ovarian cancer appeared in 1971. Chronicled were pathology observations of tissue samples from 10 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The scientists found talc in every one of the tissue samples, a sign that each woman’s talc containing powder had moved from her external genitalia to her internal organs. 11 years later, an study performed by Dr. Daniel Cramer of Boston’s Brigham & Women’s Hospital demonstrated a statistical connection between a history of genital talc containing product usage and ovarian cancer.

Results of the research reveal an increase in risk of ovarian cancer. An article regarding Dr. Cramer’s research was published in the August 1982 issue of The New York Times. The research examined the wellness history and genital talc use of 215 women that were diagnosed with ovarian cancer and measured them to women who didn’t use talc. The results showed an association between the genital use of talc and ovarian cancer. Across the ensuing years, more than fifteen studies have shown that long term, regular, genital use of talc-containing products by women created a 33% increase of the risk of developing ovarian cancer. Though talc lawsuit have suggested no connection between the use of baby powder and ovarian cancer, those studies have been criticized for not taking into account the length of time and frequency of talc usage which is the only proper measure of a woman’s exposure to talc.

Asbestos and Ovarian Cancer
During the formal discovery process in recent litigation involving Johnson & Johnson, information has come to light that expose company concerns about asbestos contaminated talc that dates back several decades and that the company fought a fierce campaign to minimize test results, scientific details and other information that talc in its Baby Powder contained asbestos. That Johnson & Johnsons Baby Powder® and Shower to Shower Body Powder, in addition to other brands of talc containing products could have been contaminated with asbestos, has focused most of the nationwide litigation. Though most asbestos lawsuits and claims focus on employment, military and industrial-related exposure to asbestos, and asbestos related products as a source of mesothelioma, the growing recent litigation is now focusing on the link between asbestos, talc and ovarian cancer.

Focused on both the factual and scientific connections between exposure to asbestos contaminated talc powders and the appearance of ovarian cancer, the legal war is evolving and being joined by numerous women that have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Additional Information Regarding Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian Cancer and The Subtypes
Ovarian cancer is a general term that combines various subtypes that are known and distinguishable by their various characteristics and their location. Most ovarian cancer is found in the epithelium, that is the layer of tissue which surrounds the ovary. Almost ninety percent of all ovarian cancers are found in the epithelium. There are several subtypes of epithelial ovarian cancers which includes serous cell and endometrioid.

Another subtype is peritoneal ovarian cancer. A low percent of ovarian cancer issues start in the peritoneum that is bodily tissue which is separate and distinct from the ovaries. The peritoneum is a membrane that surrounds, protects, and assists in supporting the stomach organs including all of the reproductive organs.


Epithelial Ovarian Cancers
The most common types of ovarian cancer are the epithelial cancers, all of which are found in the epithelium — the layer of tissue that surrounds the ovary. Within this group are the following subtypes:


Serous cell epithelial ovarian cancer
This is the most common subtype of all epithelial ovarian cancer, at approximately 60% of newly discovered cases of ovarian cancer. When diagnosed, serous cell epithelial ovarian cancer is commonly classified as either low grade or high grade determined by the nuclei and mitotic characteristics of the cells.


Endometrioid ovarian cancer
This subtype is identified by its relationship to the endometrium, that is the membrane that is the inside lining of the uterus. Endometrioid ovarian cancer can often develop in connection with other cancers, diseases, or abnormalities affecting the endometrium such as endometriosis.


Mucinous, Clear Cell, and Unclassified/Undifferentiated
These three are less frequent subtypes of ovarian cancer. Though recognizable for testing purposes, the prescribed treatment for each of them is the same.


Peritoneal Ovarian Cancers
Peritoneal ovarian cancer originates out of the ovaries, in one or more areas of the peritoneum tissue. It might move to other areas in the abdomen which includes, in some cases, the ovaries. The peritoneum is a membrane that covers, protects, and helps support the abdominal organs which includes, for women, the uterus and each of the other female reproductive organs. The peritoneum includes epithelial cells and, in this way, is similar to the epithelium tissue that surrounds the ovaries. Due to this, treatment of epithelial and peritoneal cancers is frequently similar. However, peritoneal cancer may be confined to the peritoneum and not affect the ovaries. It could develop in women that have had their ovaries removed. Primary peritoneal cancer could occur anywhere in the peritoneum and not implicate the ovaries.

Peritoneal ovarian cancer generally means that cancer cells are present in both the peritoneum and one or both ovaries. The serous cell lining of the ovaries and the serous cell composition of the peritoneum communicate with each other and, in this way, cancer cells could move, through shedding or other processes, between the two. When cancer cells appear in both of the ovaries and the peritoneum, the diagnosis is peritoneal ovarian cancer.

Staging of Ovarian Cancers
When ovarian cancer is diagnosed, peritoneal, it’s then staged to understand its severity and potential treatment options. A frequent ovarian cancer staging protocol is as follows:

Stage I — Growth of the cancer is limited to the ovary or ovaries.

Stage IA — Growth is limited to one ovary while the tumor is confined to the interior of the ovary. There’s no cancer in the outer surface of the ovary. There are no ascites present containing malignant cells. The capsule is intact.

Stage IB — Growth is limited to both ovaries minus any tumor on their outer area. There are no ascites observed that contain malignant cells. The capsule is intact.

Stage IC — The tumor is classified as either Stage IA or IB and one or more of the following are present: tumor is observed on the outside surface of one or both ovaries; the capsule has ruptured; and there are ascites containing malignant cells or with positive peritoneal washings.

Stage II — Presence of the cancer involves one or both ovaries with pelvic extension.

Stage IIA — The cancer has extended to and includes the uterus or the fallopian tubes, or both.

Stage IIB — The cancer has moved to other pelvic organs.

Stage IIC — The tumor is determined as either Stage IIA or IIB and one or more of the following are present: tumor is present on the outside surface of one or both ovaries; the capsule has ruptured; and there are ascites that include malignant cells or with positive peritoneal washings.

Stage III — Growth of the cancer includes one or both ovaries, and one or both of the following are appearing: the cancer has migrated past the pelvis to the lining of the abdomen; and the cancer has expanded to lymph nodes. The tumor is limited to the true pelvis but with histologically proven malignant migration to the small bowel or omentum.

Stage IIIA — During the staging operation, the practitioner could see cancer involving one or both of the ovaries, but no cancer is grossly observable in the abdomen and it has not spread to lymph nodes. However, when biopsies are checked under a microscope, very small deposits of cancer are found in the abdominal peritoneal surfaces.

Stage IIIB — The tumor is in one or both ovaries, and traces of cancer are appearing in the abdomen that are big enough for the doctor to observe but not exceeding 1 inch in size. The cancer hasn’t migrated to the lymph nodes.

Stage IIIC — The tumor is in one or both ovaries, and one or both of the following is present: the cancer has migrated to lymph nodes; and the amounts of cancer exceed 1 inch in diameter and are found in the abdomen.

Stage IV — This is the most advanced stage of ovarian cancer. Growth of the cancer involves one or both ovaries and distant metastases have occurred. Discovering ovarian cancer cells in pleural fluid is also evidence of stage IV disease.