Esthesioneuroblastoma

ccwkcaryle
ccwkcaryle Member Posts: 1

My husband was a Vietnam Vet and has passed away from Estheioneuroblastoma, which is a rare form of sinus cancer. He was exposed to Agent Orange during his tour of duty. Our daughter is a survivor of Thyroid cancer (when she was 14). I have a difficult time believing his Agent Orange exposure was not instrumental in both cases. Any thoughts out there?

Comments

  • Otters4
    Otters4 Member Posts: 1
    esthesioneuroblastoma & agent orange

    I'm sorry for your loss. I hope this is still able to reach you. I don't know why VA allows other illnesses (my husband has Diabetes 2, which is considered an AO product) and doesn't think one could INHALE the cancerous herbicide and have nasal passages affected.

     

    My husband is also a Vietnam vet exposed to Agent Orange in 1968-69. He worked in the villages and drove along the defoliated (by AO) roads. In 1996, after months of seeming depressed (Surgeon said he was being lobotomized by the 4-inch tumor in his cranium), he began losing his vision. When a MRI showed the cause--tumor was so established it was being fed on both side by its own blood supply the size of the surgeon's two pinky fingers--the cancer had destroyed his olfactory nerves, wrapped around his optic nerves and destroyed sight in one eye, and was a four-inch tumor in his cranium.  First operation was to cut off the the blood supply to tumor. Many operations, chemo, radiation, autologous stem cell transplant followed. I am dealing with 22+ years of increasing frontal lobe disorder as a consequence.

    I think he is alive only because of the amazing surgeons at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in NYC (now named New York Presbyterian).