Prostrate Cancer

[Guest terrysturgis]

I have searched the site for an answer for my wifes friend that lost her husband a few months ago to cancer. I thought he had only liver cancer but it turns out that he had Prostrate Cancer too. He was 101st in country AO exposed so the presumption of cancer from AO is provable. She says her SO is trying for retro on the cancer and DIC for the time since he passed away. In searching the site I could not find the rating chart for Prostrate Cancer. She thinks it is 100% but I see some of our family are rated at 50 or 60% on that disease. Question is where is the chart for Cancers? Thanks! Terry Sturgis

[Berta]

Did she file a formal 21-534 claim form and state she is claiming accrued benefits and also service connected death? (I assume she did with the SO)

Was he rated at all SC in his lifetime and for what?

Was he ever denied comp on this cancer or any other AO disability?(If so when)

The SO is correct in that there could be retro in accrued benefits-all accrued benefits payable to spouse if death is after Dec 16,2003. And also DIC if this directly caused or contributed to his death.

Does the death certificate or any autopsy results state that the Prostrate cancer caused or contributed directly to his death?

If so she is part of the Class action order under the Nehmer decision -briefly explained near end of this link from M21-1:

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:T99VAL...ang_es&ie=UTF-8

Also prostate cancer can be successfully treated- and this often changes the rating of it-

This BVA decision shows what I mean-

http://www.va.gov/vetapp01/files01/0103968.txt

Only the medical evidence of the progression and/or remission of some diseases can determine the rating.

Was he receiving active treatment for this cancer when he died? Did it metasize into any other type of

cancer and affect other organs?

It must have had direct contribution to his death.

I have a friend with AO prostate cancer- the VA saved his life and removed the cancer but he also needs colostomy bag for rest of his life-he is rated on this severe complication.

One problem I see here is if the VA suggests the prostate cancer is from the liver cancer-they could say NSC liver cancer caused the prostate cancer and not Agent Orange-

In that case the widow would need a good IMO.

Much rests here on the wording of the death certificate and any autopsy findings.

(Had the prostate cancer done a lot of damage before it was diagnosed? Early detection can prevent

deaths like this)

[Guest terrysturgis]

Berta, THANKS! I printed your responce and will get it to her to see if she can answer your questions. It took a while for her to start to investigate her options as you better than anyone I know understands how a person feels after losing someone to an AO disease. Thanks again! Terry Sturgis

[john999]

A vet who was successfully treated for AO prostate cancer said he got 100% for a short period of time and then when he recovered from the side effects of the cancer and his PSA was normal he was reduced to 0%. He gets the SMC for lack of function but just 0% for the prostate cancer since it is cured for now. I guess the hard part is after a death like Berta says. I don't think prostate cancer confined to the prostate kills you but it is when it spreads. So VA might say which came first the liver caner spreading to the prostate or prostate spreading to the liver. I believe an autopsy could prove it one way or the other but I am just guessing.

[Berta]

Terry- John is right too-a good point that he made on this type of cancer-it usually isnt fatal-

an autopsy can be invaluable-all should consider it- as even if it appears a death is not due to a SC condition-an autopsy can reveal that it is-

Did this vet have any other potential SC conditions that could have caused or contributed to his death?

Edited April 15, 2006 by Berta

[Guest terrysturgis]

Berta and John, I asked the wrong question as my friend's wife gave me the wrong information. She has a brother that served in Nam as a brown water veteran and he is the one who has Prostrate Cancer. Her husband's most prevelant cancer was liver cancer but the records show pancreatic cancer also. I have been trying to help her but she is having a hard time since his passing, as anyone can understand, and I need to sit her down and get the facts straight so we can procede. I know her and her husband went to a DAV SO at the Battle Creek VA upon discovery of his cancer. That SO , via E-mail, won't answer what his C-file number is. I think it is time to revoke POA and start anew. When I get the info " I will be back". THANKS! Terry Sturgis

[Alex]

What you need in the situation of trying to get service for pancreatic cancer and other diseases VA won’t recognize as being connected to Agent Orange and which did not metastasize from the lung, is a doctor’s letter. I use Dr. Craig Bash to provide letters in cases such as this. He has his own website on which he collects requests for opinions, and he replies fairly quickly.

Alex