Posted on Feb 1, 2023
What exactly causes negative h. Pylori, negative CDH1 mutation, signet ring cell diffuse gastric carcinoma?
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Stomach cancer, a gastrointestinal cancer, is now considered a presumptive disease for Burn Pit veterans (Pact Act). Why is it not approved for Agent Orange as well as both contain dioxins and benzene (carcinogens)? What then causes negative h. Pylori, negative CDH1 mutation, signet ring cell diffuse gastric carcinoma in a Thailand veteran from a family that has NO OTHER CANCERS?
Cancer
Agent Orange
Burn Pits
Veterans Affairs (VA)
VA Claim
Edited 2 y ago
Posted 2 y ago
Responses: 1
** response edited based on your updated question **
Carla Jasinski, the Pact Act expands eligibility for treatment or compensation - it does not cover "exposure" unless there is an illness or injury that is a result of it.
In other words, you may have been exposed to Agent Orange, and because of that if you had one of the illnesses then the VA will automatically assume (or “presume”) that your service caused your condition. If you have a presumptive condition, you don’t need to prove that your service caused the condition. You only need to meet the service requirements for the presumption.
I'm no medical expert, so I'll assume that you're saying the cancer you listed is not part of the presumptive conditions that the VA has for Agent Orange. In that case, you can still file a claim for VA disability benefits. But you’ll need to submit more evidence.
The key is that you need to prove a service connection. You already have exposure as a given - you can prove (I assume) from your service records that you were in an area of exposure for Agent Orange. What you'll have to show is that the chemicals from Agent Orange (or some other exposure while in the military) either directly or indirectly contribute to that cancer - i.e., causes it, makes your more susceptible to it, etc.
Carla Jasinski, the Pact Act expands eligibility for treatment or compensation - it does not cover "exposure" unless there is an illness or injury that is a result of it.
In other words, you may have been exposed to Agent Orange, and because of that if you had one of the illnesses then the VA will automatically assume (or “presume”) that your service caused your condition. If you have a presumptive condition, you don’t need to prove that your service caused the condition. You only need to meet the service requirements for the presumption.
I'm no medical expert, so I'll assume that you're saying the cancer you listed is not part of the presumptive conditions that the VA has for Agent Orange. In that case, you can still file a claim for VA disability benefits. But you’ll need to submit more evidence.
The key is that you need to prove a service connection. You already have exposure as a given - you can prove (I assume) from your service records that you were in an area of exposure for Agent Orange. What you'll have to show is that the chemicals from Agent Orange (or some other exposure while in the military) either directly or indirectly contribute to that cancer - i.e., causes it, makes your more susceptible to it, etc.
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Carla Jasinski
Thanks for your quick response.
Not me, but my husband, served in Thailand for two years during the Vietnam Era, was diagnosed with the rare cell type of stomach cancer/illness mentioned above in April of 1999 and died in November of 2016. He was an athlete that didn't smoke or drink. The VA has rejected my claim two times.
What evidence do I need to submit if even the NIH and other expert agencies don't give a cause for this particular rare cell type of stomach cancer? I have researched and researched to no avail, so where do I find the evidence? https://rarediseases.org/gard-rare-disease/diffuse-gastric-cancer/
I know that dioxin and benzene are carcinogenic, and they are ingredients of Agent Orange. Do I upload that information to my claim?
Thanks again.
Not me, but my husband, served in Thailand for two years during the Vietnam Era, was diagnosed with the rare cell type of stomach cancer/illness mentioned above in April of 1999 and died in November of 2016. He was an athlete that didn't smoke or drink. The VA has rejected my claim two times.
What evidence do I need to submit if even the NIH and other expert agencies don't give a cause for this particular rare cell type of stomach cancer? I have researched and researched to no avail, so where do I find the evidence? https://rarediseases.org/gard-rare-disease/diffuse-gastric-cancer/
I know that dioxin and benzene are carcinogenic, and they are ingredients of Agent Orange. Do I upload that information to my claim?
Thanks again.
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COL Randall C.
Carla, much clearer now. Again, I'm not medical expert, so take anything I say regarding a medical opinion with a huge grain of salt.
The sad fact is that it may have nothing to do with Agent Orange. For example, cigarette smoking is carcinogenic, but even if you were a smoker it make have nothing to do with a hypothetical stomach cancer that develops.
If there is no linkage (in medical journals, research papers, etc) between the carcinogenic chemicals (dioxin and benzene) and the type of cancer your husband had, then you'll have (as you know) a very difficult time proving a service connection.
From the little research I did, there were studies* done on gastric cancers and the linkages to Agent Orange, but insufficient evidence was found to show an associations between exposure and stomach cancer.
I would suggest looking at 'indirect' causality. While there doesn't appear to be any studies that link Agent Orange to the stomach cancer, there may be something that Agent Orange does that predisposes someone to stomach cancer (the GARD type you mentioned).
I frankly have no idea if such a linkage exists, but if you can show "A causes B and B causes C" type of linkage between Agent Orange and GARD, then that should be enough to bolster a claim. Going this route, I would look at anything that would make it more likely that someone would develop GARD and then see if anything on that list has any intersection with the chemicals in Agent Orange.
IF you get any information that shows a connection, then work with a VSO about properly submitting the claim (or appealing the ones already submitted).
Good luck!
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* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK356085/
The sad fact is that it may have nothing to do with Agent Orange. For example, cigarette smoking is carcinogenic, but even if you were a smoker it make have nothing to do with a hypothetical stomach cancer that develops.
If there is no linkage (in medical journals, research papers, etc) between the carcinogenic chemicals (dioxin and benzene) and the type of cancer your husband had, then you'll have (as you know) a very difficult time proving a service connection.
From the little research I did, there were studies* done on gastric cancers and the linkages to Agent Orange, but insufficient evidence was found to show an associations between exposure and stomach cancer.
I would suggest looking at 'indirect' causality. While there doesn't appear to be any studies that link Agent Orange to the stomach cancer, there may be something that Agent Orange does that predisposes someone to stomach cancer (the GARD type you mentioned).
I frankly have no idea if such a linkage exists, but if you can show "A causes B and B causes C" type of linkage between Agent Orange and GARD, then that should be enough to bolster a claim. Going this route, I would look at anything that would make it more likely that someone would develop GARD and then see if anything on that list has any intersection with the chemicals in Agent Orange.
IF you get any information that shows a connection, then work with a VSO about properly submitting the claim (or appealing the ones already submitted).
Good luck!
------------------------------------------------
* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK356085/
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