June 06, 2016 - Does Long Term Exposure to Talcum Powder Increase Ovarian Cancer Risk?
Many women have begun hearing about the Johnson & Johnson lawsuits from women who have developed ovarian cancer after using J & J’s baby powder with talc and Shower to Shower with talc for feminine hygiene. Most of these women used talcum powder for an extended period of time. In fact, the recent win against J & J for $72 million, was on behalf of a woman who died at the age of 62 after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Jacqueline Fox had used J & J baby powder and Shower to Shower in the genital region for more than three decades.
Research Linking Ovarian Cancer to Talcum Powder
In 1971, researchers looked at thirteen ovaries removed from women with ovarian cancer, and found talc fibers deeply embedded in ten of them. While Johnson & Johnson has continued to maintain that talcum powder is safe for women and does not cause ovarian cancer there are many other studies which came to a different conclusion. One side maintains that talc fibers can travel through the vagina and Fallopian tube into the ovaries, causing significant levels of inflammation, and, eventually, ovarian cancer. J & J says it is not possible for talc fibers to travel through the reproductive organs into the ovaries.
Could Talc Fibers Be Removed?
Women who have used talcum powder for feminine hygiene for an extended length of time may wonder whether talc fibers in their ovaries could be removed. Unfortunately, the answer to that question is “no”—at least not with the present level of medical technology we have. The presence of talcum fibers in the ovaries and Fallopian tube could possibly be detected through the use of an SEM or scanning electron microscope analysis of pathology slides. SEM scans are not “typical” imaging studies, and are quite expensive. In order to obtain such a scan, a special request would have to be made and insurance would be unlikely to cover the cost. A SEM scans a focused electron beam as a method of creating a high-resolution image.
The electrons interact with the sample, producing information about the surface topography and composition of the tissue sample. Even if the presence of talcum fibers was detected through the use of an SEM, because talc fibers are so microscopic, it would be impossible to remove deeply embedded fibers. The only option in this case would be to remove the ovaries entirely. In the end, plenty of research has pointed to the fact that there is definitely a link between ovarian cancer and the use of talcum powder for feminine hygiene. This could make women who have used talcum powder in the genital region for long periods of time feel as though they were forced to live with a latent, long-term increased risk of talcum powder ovarian cancer due to talcum powder fiber migration.
Obtaining Talcum Powder Ovarian Cancer Legal Help
If you are a woman who used Talcum Powder for feminine hygiene and then was later diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Speaking to a knowledgeable and experienced Talcum Powder Ovarian Cancer Attorney could be beneficial.