There is currently talcum powder issues where women, with 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 use of talcum powder and cancer. In June 2013, Cancer Prevention Research published a study that concluded females with a history of using talc-containing powder on their genital areas have a 20 to 30 percent increased risk of developing 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 connected to the genital area use of its talc-based powders. Internal company documents shared during the trial indicate that Johnson & Johnson was aware of the studies and attempted to discredit them. The jury awarded $72 million in damages to the family of a woman who died from 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 describe a possible connection between talc and ovarian cancer appeared in 1971. Detailed were pathology examinations of tissue samples from 10 females diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The scientists noticed talc in every one of the tissue samples, an indication 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 Boston’s Brigham & Women’s Hospital demonstrated a statistical connection between a history of genital talc containing product use and ovarian cancer.
Results of the research reveal an increase in risk of ovarian cancer. An article regarding Dr. Cramer’s research appeared in the August 1982 edition of The New York Times. The study examined the health history and genital talc usage 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 continuing years, more than 15 studies have shown that long term, frequent, genital application of talc-containing products by women created a 33% increase in the risk of developing ovarian cancer. Though some studies have suggested no link between the usage of baby powder and ovarian cancer, those studies have been criticized for not taking into account the length of time and frequency of talc use which is the only true measure of a woman’s exposure to talc.
Asbestos and Ovarian Cancer During the formal discovery portion of recent litigation involving Johnson & Johnson, documents have come to light that reveal company concerns over asbestos contaminated talc that dates back several decades and that the company conducted an intense effort to degrade data, scientific details and other information that talc in its Baby Powder contained asbestos. The fact that Johnson & Johnsons Baby Powder and Shower to Shower® Body Powder, as well as other brands of talc containing products might have been contaminated with asbestos, has focused most of the nationwide litigation. Though most asbestos litigation and claims focus on employment, military and industrial-related risk to asbestos, and asbestos contaminated products as a source of mesothelioma, the ever increasing recent litigation is now focusing on the link between asbestos, talc and ovarian cancer .
Focusing on both the factual and scientific links between risk to asbestos contaminated talc products and the appearance of ovarian cancer, the litigation is evolving and being joined by thousands of women that have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
More News About Ovarian Cancer Ovarian Cancer and The Subtypes Ovarian cancer is a broad phrase that includes several subtypes which are known and distinguishable by their different characteristics and their location. Most ovarian cancer is located in the epithelium, that is the layer of tissue which surrounds the ovary. About 90% of all ovarian cancers are observed in the epithelium. There are various subtypes of epithelial ovarian cancers that includes serous cell and endometrioid.
An additional subtype is peritoneal ovarian cancer. A low percent of ovarian cancer cases originate in the peritoneum that is bodily tissue which is separate and distinct from the ovaries. The peritoneum is a thin membrane that surrounds, protects, and assists in supporting the stomach organs including all of the reproductive organs.
Epithelial Ovarian Cancers The most frequent type of ovarian cancer are the epithelial cancers, all of which are located 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 frequent 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 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 known by its connection to the endometrium, which is the membrane which is the inside lining of the uterus. Endometrioid ovarian cancer may often develop in connection with other cancers, diseases, or issues affecting the endometrium such as endometriosis.
Mucinous, Clear Cell, and Unclassified/Undifferentiated These three are less frequent subtypes of ovarian cancer. Though recognizable for diagnostic purposes, the prescribed treatment for each of them is similar.
Peritoneal Ovarian Cancers Peritoneal ovarian cancer begins out of the ovaries, in one or more areas of the peritoneum tissue. It may expand to other locations in the abdomen which includes, in some cases, the ovaries. The peritoneum is a membrane that surrounds, guards, and helps support the abdominal organs including, for women, the uterus and all of the other female reproductive organs. The peritoneum includes epithelial cells and, in this way, 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 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 is defined as 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 manner, cancer cells could migrate, 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 potential treatment options. A common 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 and the tumor is confined to the inside of the ovary. There is no cancer on the outer surface of the ovary. There are no ascites appearing containing malignant cells. The capsule is intact.
Stage IB — Growth 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 determined as either Stage IA or IB and one or more of the following appear: tumor is present on the outer area of one or both ovaries; the capsule has ruptured; and there are ascites that contain 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 expanded to and involves the uterus or the fallopian tubes, or both.
Stage IIB — The cancer has moved to other pelvic organs.
Stage IIC — The tumor is classified as either Stage IIA or IIB and one or more of the following are present: tumor is appearing on the outside area of one or both ovaries; the capsule has ruptured; and there are ascites that contain 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 present: the cancer has migrated past the pelvis to the lining of the abdomen; and the cancer has spread 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 doctor may see cancer involving one or both of the ovaries, yet no cancer is grossly observable in the abdomen and it hasn’t expanded to lymph nodes. Yet, when biopsies are checked under a microscope, very tiny amounts of cancer are discovered in the abdominal peritoneal surfaces.
Stage IIIB — The cancer is in one or both ovaries, and deposits of cancer are present in the abdomen that are large enough for the doctor to observe but not bigger than 2 cm 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 spread to lymph nodes; and the amounts of cancer are bigger than 1 inch in size and are observed 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 happened. Discovering ovarian cancer cells in pleural fluid is also evidence of stage IV disease.
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