Talc Powder and Ovarian Cancer

There is currently talcum powder lawsuit s where women, with a history of usage of talc products; Johnson’s® Baby Powder and Shower to Shower® Body Powder on their genitals, were diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Scientific research and the WHO have determined a link between long term genital usage of talcum powder and cancer. During June 2013, Cancer Prevention Research published a study that determined women that have a history of using talc containing powder on their genital areas have a twenty to thirty percent increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. Presented with scientific studies, expert testimony, and factual evidence, a court in St. Louis determined that Johnson & Johnson neglected to warn consumers regarding the risk of ovarian cancer associated with the genital region usage of its talc-based powders. Internal company documents shared during the trial show that Johnson & Johnson was aware of the research and attempted to discredit them. The jury awarded $72 million in damages to the family of a woman who succumbed to ovarian cancer and had a history of using Johnson’s® Baby Powder and Shower to Shower® Body Powder.

The Correlation Between Talcum Powder & Ovarian Cancer
The earliest scientific research to outline a potential link between talc and ovarian cancer was reported in 1971. Chronicled were pathology examinations of tissue samples from 10 females 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. Eleven years later, an epidemiological study performed by Dr. Daniel Cramer of Brigham & Women’s Hospital showed a statistical association between a history of genital talc containing product use and ovarian cancer.

Results of the research show an increase in risk of ovarian cancer. An article regarding Dr. Cramer’s study was published in the August 12, 1982 issue of The New York Times. The study examined the health history and genital talc use of 215 women who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer and compared them to women who did not use talc. The results showed an association between the genital use of talc and ovarian cancer. Over the ensuing years, no fewer than fifteen studies have demonstrated that long term, frequent, genital use of talc-containing products by women posed a 33% increase of the risk of developing ovarian cancer. Though some studies have suggested no connection between the use of baby powder and ovarian cancer, these studies have been discredited for not holding into account the length of time and frequency of talc use which is the only proper measurement of a woman’s exposure to talc.

Asbestos and Ovarian Cancer
During the formal discovery part of recent litigation involving Johnson & Johnson, information has come to light that reveal company worries over asbestos contaminated talc dating back several decades and that the company fought an intense campaign to hide data, scientific details and other information that talc in its Baby Powder contained asbestos. That Johnson & Johnsons Baby Powder® and Shower to Shower body powder, as well as other brands of talc containing powders may have been contaminated with asbestos, has re-focused much of the nationwide litigation. Though most asbestos litigation and claims focus on work, military and industrial-related risk to asbestos, and asbestos contaminated products as causing mesothelioma, the ever increasing recent litigation is now focused on the connection between asbestos, talc and ovarian cancer.

Focused on both the factual and scientific connections between exposure to asbestos contaminated talc products and the development of ovarian cancer, the legal effort is evolving and being joined by thousands of women who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

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

An additional subtype is peritoneal ovarian cancer. A small percentage of ovarian cancer cases begin in the peritoneum which is bodily tissue that 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 that are found in the epithelium — the layer of tissue that surrounds the ovary. In this group are the following subtypes:


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


Endometrioid ovarian cancer
This subtype is known from its relationship to the endometrium, which is the membrane which is the interior lining of the uterus. Endometrioid ovarian cancer may often develop in connection with other cancers, diseases, or abnormalities that may affect the endometrium such as endometriosis.


Mucinous, Clear Cell, and Unclassified/Undifferentiated
These 3 are less frequent subtypes of ovarian cancer. Though distinguishable for testing purposes, the prescribed treatment for each of them is similar.


Peritoneal Ovarian Cancers
Peritoneal ovarian cancer starts outside of the ovaries, in one or more areas of the peritoneum tissue. It might move to other locations in the abdomen including, in some cases, the ovaries. The peritoneum is a membrane that covers, protects, and helps support the abdominal organs including, for women, the uterus and all of the other female reproductive organs. The peritoneum consists of epithelial cells and, in this manner, is similar to the epithelium tissue that covers the ovaries. Because of this, treatment of epithelial and peritoneal cancers is often similar. However, peritoneal cancer could be isolated to the peritoneum and not affect the ovaries. It may develop in women that have had their ovaries removed. Primary peritoneal cancer may occur in any location 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 signal each other and, in this case, cancer cells might 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
Once ovarian cancer is diagnosed, peritoneal, it’s then staged to determine its severity and possible 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 — Presence is limited to one ovary and the tumor is confined to the inside of the ovary. There’s no cancer on the outer surface of the ovary. There are no ascites present containing malignant cells. The capsule is intact.

Stage IB — Presence is limited to both ovaries without any tumor on their outer surfaces. There are no ascites observed containing 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 confirmed on the outer area of one or both ovaries; the capsule has ruptured; and there are ascites containing malignant cells or with positive peritoneal washings.

Stage II — Growth of the cancer includes one or both ovaries with pelvic extension.

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

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

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

Stage III — Presence of the cancer includes one or both ovaries, and one or both of the following are present: the cancer has spread 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 can see cancer involving one or both of the ovaries, yet no cancer is grossly noticeable in the abdomen and it hasn’t expanded to lymph nodes. Yet, when biopsies are checked under a microscope, very tiny deposits of cancer are found in the abdominal peritoneal surfaces.

Stage IIIB — The tumor is in one or both ovaries, and deposits of cancer are appearing in the abdomen that are large enough for the surgeon to see but not exceeding 2 cm in size. The cancer has not spread 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 spread to lymph nodes; and the amounts of cancer exceed 2 cm in size and are discovered in the abdomen.

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