Agent Orange and Kidney Cancer

I lost akidney to cancer on july 2011. I was in the marine corps infantry from 1968-1969 in the dmz areawhere the agent orange as we know now was used to deforest the tripple canopy.I went to the Va this year register for any studies that they might have for cancer and agent orange. The reaason i went because i went a renuion after 45 years for the first time and they convince me to register because so many of them had heart disese , prostate and other cancers.I only relay this so they may be able to connect the kidney cancer and agent orange for others.

keithafroehlichsr said:

agent orange idney cancer
Hi Pamela
The day you posted this my husband Keith (62) was diagnosed with Kidney Cancer, via an incidental finding. His DD214 places him in Vietnam 1969 -1971 and he will more than likely be "presumed exposure" as a result. Can you tell me if you used an attorney and if so can you share the contact info. He will have his right kidney removed on 1/8/13. He has it in both kidneys so he will have the 8 tumors in the left kidney removed. There are no METS we know of at this time. This is terrifying. Thank you Keith and Judy

Keith & Judy... 

Important WHERE you  go for medical help.  Consider M D Anderson. Cancer Center Houston, TX.  THey are the most fantastic hospital I have EVER been to.  They have been removing (succeswsfully) melanomas from me for 35 yearsw as they appear.  Good news. I am on year 6 after loss of right kidney ...completely !!! enveloped.  
It can happen. Tell Keith to keep a good attitude. It is critical.  Also can contact me for whatever assistance ...

Larry

Pamelaquaz said:

Won my Kidney Cancer VA Case
My husband died in 09, today was the first day I looked at a kidney cancer board since. I hope I can help a little bit. I won his case and he got the 100%service connection for renal cell carcinoma due to agent orange.

I think all I can do is list the things I found out in winning my case. It is not easy. the bureaucracy makes it complicated.
First look at all the archived cases from the VA board of appeals. You will find them at the VA.gov website. Last I checked there were a couple of dozen wins for Kidney Cancer. Search for that and search for renal cell carcinoma.
Www.bva.va.gov, then click on Search Decisions

It is not on the "list." All this means is you have to prove a Medical Nexus in addition to proving service in an Agent Orange location and proving that you do have Kidney Cancer.

To prove service connection to Agent Orange location you have to have a Viet Nam Combat Action Ribbon. If you don't, maybe there are other ways to prove that, check the archived cases.

To prove medical nexus you must first provide proof that your doctor who writes the letter is an expert in Kidney Cancer. Because the doc you see at the VA as part of the application for benefits won't find any reason to say that your cancer was caused by agent orange, until it ends up in a place "on the list" such as lungs. Which resets your date when you finally win, you don't wnat this to happen. If you have a general oncologist it would be worth a trip or more to be seen by an expert, An expert is one who writes published papers, is head of A University dept., things like that. I had two experts write letters. I found one expert throughvthe VA and one thru a clinical trial.

You must use a service organization to help you. Not those guys who sit at thedesk at the VA but get those guys to assign someone to you.

Finally the wording of your medical nexus letter is critical. Help hte dr.s know how to word it by searching the archives. I think it has to say something like "significantly more likely than not" . This is only my memory so please research the archives. If the dr. Says stuff like "in my opinion" or "probably" it will get kicked out. You will probably have to appeal, be sure and keep the appeals and disagreement letters timely, the whole case will be lost if you miss a filing date. And sadly in my experience the veteran had to still be alive or everything was lost. Maybe that's changed.
I hope this helps someone. I found in the end that everyone was helpful, even everyone in the VA. They ate just trying to work within the rules. My case took about three years I think.

Pamela.  I went into my claims very much an inexperienced, full of excitement, vet who thought all you had to do was to send in the info and it would get stamped.  I have now, 3 years later, found out what YOUO found out.  It is not enough to have a Doctor say PROBABLY or I think, it has to be an expert who will outweigh the VA witness, and the more the better. And know what they are basing the decision on and GET THAT NAILED DOWN, and also  READ THE LOSER CITATIONS. WHY DID THEY LOSE, or were NOT APPROVED?  It is good not to make the same mistake.  Don't miss a date...you are again correct.  All of your advice was correct and to the point.  I went to

VA vs (add your disease) CITATIONS and read and copied every one and analized it.  I have gone to every medical study site I can find the same way.  And I am going to submit using all of the positives I can find and distancing myself from all of the negatives.  The VA is COUNTING on the dropout rate by denial.  The longer the delay, the more time they have those coffers filled with money which they know, in some %, is going to have to be paidd out, but  "not yet".  

I ama so proud of you.  My sister did the same thing for her husband.  He was a heck of a soldier, but was not on top of anything having to do with documents, claims, but he was a heck of a sniper!

I first filed a claim in 2009 and was denied.  I'm trying to gather more convincing evidence.  Good luck to all of you that have suffered such a terrible experience.

My husband serviced in the Marines in Vietnam from 1967 to 1969 an just diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma . He went for a mri and they found a mass in the chest and  the kidney 8cm and told us it had been there since 2007 and at that time it was only 2.5 cm. Back in 2007 they were trying to do a biopsy on a thyroid mass and couldnt do so sent to a specialist locally an he ordered another test when he couldnt get the biopsy either. He fell through the crack. So instead of following up in 2007 it was a mass of only 2.5 now he is going to have a radical nephrectomy. First they want to make sure the cancer didnt metastasis. Thank God in 1997 I had breast cancer so I know what we have to look forward through so with prayers love hope faith and courage we will survive.

alan01 said:

Ag and Viet nam vets

I agree the V.a system hates to give Nam Veterans what is coming to them I have been fighting with them for well over six years for my cancer   and they say "Oh it can't be proved is service related".

I have Kidney cancer my second round with the beast and my right kidney was removed due to a 6cm tumor in 2003 after chemo and in 2007 they said it went into remission ( I dont know if i beleive that now) non V.a hospital at that time.

In june 2013 it came back i now have a 4cm tumor in my left kidney and in chemo once again my doctors say in no doubt it was the work of exposure to agent orange but the V.a has blinders on and dont want to hear it  as it seems....  and this time "IT" really has me scared due to my age    66

Was In-country "Nam" from 68 to 69 then late 69 to 70 I do frimly beleive all Nam vets should be getting disabilty in one form or another.

And I am sorry for all you that has losted loved ones anyone who would like to chat please feel free to do so I would welcome it.

Owl01@inbox.com

 

We remind them of something they want to forget.  I fear Iraqi vets will face the same IF the VA lasts that long.

Good luck on your battle bro. We're the same age!

I dodged the bullet a little longer than you!

I SERVED 11 MONTHS IN VIETNAM. IN NOV. 2011 A CT SCAN REVEALED I HAD A BIG CANCER IN LEFT KIDNEY. JAN. 2012  MY LEFT KIDNEY AND ADRENAL GLAND WAS REMOVED.

bever1 said:

My husband was diagnosed with Renal Cell Cancer in September 1998, having his left kidney removed. He too served in Viet Nam 67-68. A claim was filed because his Urologist believed Agent Orange caused his Cancer.....of course his claim was denied.  He remained Cancer Free or in Remission for 15 years. 

 In 2011, he was told he had Type 2 Diabetes, A VA claim was filed and accepted, he managed his Diabetes with oral medication and diet as well he began losing weight.  Over time, he was unable to manage blood sugar, thus, his Doctor wanted him to begin Insulin which he did.  Even with 2 types of insulin blood sugar was not stable.  A CT was order, Cancer was discovered in his Spleen and Pancreas.  March 2013 he was hospitalized for 2 bouts of Interluken II, he had issues and could tolerate 8 sessions vs the normal 24.  In April his Spleen, Gall Bladder and the tail of his Pancreas were removed....again Renal Cell Cancer was the cause. 

Mid summer 2013, once he experienced issues with stable blood sugar, plus he was contracted Hep.A, For Hep A, he was seeing a Dr who specalized in Liver Diease, as well as and Endocronolgist to help with his Diabetes.  The Liver Dr ordered an Endoscopy Ultra Sound....he had the test this Past Turesday....LIver at this time is ok, however, Renal Cell was found in the neck of his Pancreas and also in the Duedodumn where it intersects with his Pancreas.  We've not met with his Oncologist yet, hopefully an appointment will be scheduled this coming week

We are in the process of reopening the original claim, doing research and we are going to work with our Vermont Senator; Bernie Sanders office.  In addition to our battle with Cancer we are going to battle with the VA.  Both are and will be long and emotional ...we are in it to win it.     Bever;y

Many of us have had RCC with no AO connection. I think that to prove this connection you need a randomly selected group of vets (over 1000) and compare their incidence of RCC with the general population of the same age.  I beleive at least the VA would have the information to do such a study.

Icemantoo

My dad was in the Navy 65-69. He lost a kidney in 1990. Now it has came back 23 years later.

vietvet said:

Agent Orange & Renal Cell Cancer: VA Disability
The Pamelaquaz post is one of the most comprehensive posted on this site. However, let me provide everyone with my perspective. I am a USMC Vietnam Vet from 1966. I had my right kidney removed in August 2009 after a CT scan for a hernia revealed a 10+ cm tumor. This month makes 3 years since I filed my original disability claim with the DVA. Per various sources, it appears that I have approximately 2 more years until this claim is finalized.

First, let me say to all of you that decided not to file a claim and instead wait for RCC to be added to the DVA's "Presumptive" list..... you will not receive any disability payments for those years that you didn't file a claim. Payments are retroactive back to a Veteran's original file date. Currently, 100% disabled benifits pay for a single Veteran is $2,769.00 per month. If you compute this over the expected 5 year cycle of a disability claim approval, you get a total sum of $166,140.00, tax free dollars. I guess you know what I would suggest.

Secondly, many of the various Veteran Service Officers that represent your respective State, or service organization; e.g., DVA, VFW, etc., are always helpful, but not extremely effective. My suggestion is that you take control of your own destiny, and handle your own case. Become involved! The Internet has unlimited resourses for you to use, including blog sites, such as this one.

When you begin to craft a strategy, think about this one.... first, understand that there is NO way to prove what the causative factor was for your RCC; thus, you must DISPROVE the probability of any other known causative factor, except for Agent Orange. Remember, the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims has ruled that "a veteran need only demonstrate that there is an 'approximate balance of positive and negative evidence' in order to prevail". Therefore, you strategy is simply to establish the principle of reasonable doubt, that any other causative factor, except AO, could have been responsible.

Without trying to split hairs, here are the universlly accepted suggestive causes of RCC: Hereditary/Genetic predisposition, Environmental Factors of the Work Place - (Exposure to coal dust, cadmium, asbestos, petroleum products, dry-cleaning solvents, radiation, and other toxins), Environmental Factors of Personal Health - (Obesity, hypertension caused by high blood pressure, diabetes disease, and smoking), Environmental Medical Factors -(Previously received treatments of Chemotherapy, Dialysis, and Radiation).

Take these suggestive causative factors and have them systematically elimated by having your doctor(s) overlay them with your medical history. Help these doctors craft a letter that demonstrates and opines that AO is the "More Likly Than Not" causative factor. In my case, I wrote the letters, put them on a flash drive, and took them to my doctors for his approval and/or minor editing. Not a single one said NO.

As for these letters of "NEXUS".... although it has been stated to get experts with notable, published, credentials, it is not necessary, although preferred. Just make sure that your doctors have their letter of opine signed and notarized with a copy of their resume, and a listing of any publications that they may have authored for medical journals.

I suggest that you solicit letters from a General Practitioner, Urologist, and Oncologist. It is also suggested that you look at the possibility of getting letters of opine from a known Epidemiologist that is well acquainted with Agent Orange. Just remember this.....you never get, unless you ask. You wouldn't believe how many AO and Toxicology experts are sympathetic towards our plight, and have a sense of patriotism for us veterans.

Go for it!