VA Adds Rare Cancers to Service-Connected List

Julie Provost

2 years ago

9 Cancers Added to VA’s List of Presumed Service-Connected Medical Conditions

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On March 1st, 2022, during the State of Union by President Biden, it was announced that the VA added 9 rare cancers to the presumed service-connected lists as related to military environmental exposure.

The White House stated that “Too often, military service results in increased health risks and other consequences for our veterans. Some of these injuries and illnesses may take years to manifest. Some are visible and some are invisible. This can make it difficult for veterans to prove in-service exposure and establish a direct connection for disabilities resulting from military environmental exposures such as burn pits.”

How Did This Come About?

The Department of Veterans Affairs reviewed medical evidence, determining there may be a “biologic plausibility” between airborne hazards, (including particulate matter,) and carcinogenesis of the respiratory tract.

According to the VA, the unique circumstances of these rare cancers “warrant a presumption of service connection.” By VA definition, such disabilities were caused by military service and may be eligible for VA disability compensation.

The VA will focus on veterans who served any amount of time in the Southwest Asia theater, and other locations. They will also invite and consider public comments on this issue.

From the White House perspective, these efforts are necessary “to expand access to health care services and benefits for veterans impacted by environmental exposures” according to Whitehouse.gov, which adds that the Biden administration is “committed to ensuring we are able to quickly and fairly recognize additional presumptions of service-connected disabilities by modernizing the processes for evaluating the relationship between exposure and health outcomes.”

What Are the 9 Cancers?

Squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx.
Squamous cell carcinoma of the trachea.
Adenocarcinoma of the trachea.
Salivary gland-type tumors of the trachea.
Adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung.
Large cell carcinoma of the lung.
Salivary gland-type tumors of the lung.
Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung.
Typical and atypical carcinoid of the lung.

VA Secretary Denis McDonough states,“This is the right decision. The rarity and severity of these illnesses, and the reality that these conditions present a situation where it may not be possible to develop additional evidence prompted us to take this critical action. We’ll continue to hold ourselves accountable to Veterans to provide more care, more benefits and more services to more Veterans than ever before.”

If you need to learn more about VA policy on presumptive conditions or whether your condition qualifies, contact the Department of Veterans Affairs directly at 1-800-827-100. You can also review VA policy on presumptive conditions.