When talcum powder is used around the vagina for feminine hygiene, irritating particles could potentially travel inside the reproductive system and increase the risk of ovarian cancer.

Need a Texas Ovarian Cancer Lawyer? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit.

UPDATE: Johnson & Johnson Offers $8.9 Billion Settlement in Talc Lawsuits

In April 2023, Johnson & Johnson proposed an $8.9 billion settlement to resolve at least 60,000 lawsuits involving people who claim that baby powder and other talcum powder products caused their ovarian cancer or mesothelioma.

Thousands of Ovarian Cancer Lawsuits Filed Nationwide

Lawsuits have been filed by thousands of women who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer after using talcum powder products like Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower. Our lawyers are investigating cases involving:

Juries Award $300 Million to Ovarian Cancer Victims

In February 2016, a jury in St. Louis, Missouri awarded $72 million in damages to the family of Jackie Fox, a woman from Alabama who died of ovarian cancer after using Johnson’s Baby Powder for 35 years. It was the first case to go to trial in St. Louis.

In May 2016, the 2nd trial ended in a $55 million award to a woman from South Dakota who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer after using baby powder for nearly 40 years.

In October 2016, the 3rd trial ended in a $70 million award to a woman with ovarian cancer who used baby powder for 45 years. The woman was diagnosed with Stage-4 ovarian cancer in 2012 and says talc particles were found in her tumors.

In March 2017, the 4th trial ended in no damages awarded to the plaintiff. However, in May 2017, the 5th trial ended in a $110 million verdict in favor of Louis Slemp, a woman from Virginia who used Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder products for 40 years.

Did J&J Ignore the Risk?

Trial evidence includes an internal memo from September 1997 in which a medical consultant at Johnson & Johnson wrote “anybody who denies [the] risks” between talcum powder and ovarian cancer will be “denying the obvious in the face of all evidence to the contrary” — the same as those who denied a link between smoking cigarettes and cancer.

Talc and Asbestos

Talc is a naturally-occurring mineral that is structurally similar to asbestos, a known carcinogen associated with mesothelioma. Ovarian cancer is very similar to mesothelioma, and before the 1970s, talcum powder products were often contaminated with asbestos. In 2015, a woman in California was awarded $13 million after she developed mesothelioma from using Colgate-Palmolive’s Cashmere Bouquet talcum powder for feminine hygiene from 1961 to 1976.

Talcum Powder and Ovarian Cancer

Experts are concerned that using talcum powder in the vaginal area could promote ovarian cancer by causing long-term inflammation. Studies dating back to the 1970s found particles of talc in the ovaries, proving that it can travel from the vagina.

Studies Estimate 30% Increased Risk

In 2003, a meta-analysis of 16 studies involving nearly 12,000 women found that talc was associated with a 33% increased risk of ovarian cancer. The American Cancer Society notes that a woman’s lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is about 1.4%, so even a 30% increase is only about 1.8%.

What is Ovarian Cancer?

Ovarian cancer occurs when cells start growing uncontrollably in the ovaries, which are two reproductive glands in women that produce eggs. There are several types of ovarian cancer, but the most common tumors start in epithelial cells on the outer surface of the ovary. Most epithelial tumors are benign (non-cancerous) and do not spread.

How Common is Ovarian Cancer?

The American Cancer Society estimates that 22,280 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and about 14,240 will die from the disease in 2016. The lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is about 1 in 75 for women in the United States.

Signs & Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

  • Bloating
  • Pelvic or abdominal pain
  • Trouble eating or feeling full quickly
  • Urinary urgency or frequency
  • Fatigue
  • Upset stomach
  • Gas, nausea, vomiting
  • Loss of appetite
  • Back pain
  • Pain during sex
  • Constipation
  • Menstrual changes
  • Bleeding from the vagina
  • Abdominal swelling with weight-loss or weight-gain

Long-Term Outlook

Treatment for ovarian cancer usually involves surgery followed by chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. Unfortunately, even when ovarian cancer is cured, many women are left with serious complications, such as loss of fertility, sexual dysfunction, bowel obstruction, “surgical menopause,” and more. The loss of estrogen also increases the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease.

Need an Ovarian Cancer Lawyer in Texas?

Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.

Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”

The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact our Texas ovarian cancer lawyers for a free lawsuit review.

Meet Your Attorney

Collen A. Clark

Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.

“Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”

To contact Collen, please fill out the contact form below:

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