Just Received This Letter Of Medical Opinion

[jessie0054]

Hello All:

I had ask my son's Onc/Hem Dr to write a letter of Medical Opinion months and months ago as to his Opinion that my son's Apendix Cancer and his Polycythemia Vera had anything to do with his Military Exposure to Benzene in the Jet Fuels he used as an Aviation Structual Mechanic in the Navy.

I received his letter on Saturday April 14th, 2007.

In short this is what he had to say:

" I do feel that it is a possibility that both of his conditions could be caused by the exposure to Jet Fuels containing Benzene and other organic Solvents while he was working around the Helicoptors and breathing the fumes and exhause during the refueling duties while serving as a Aviation Structural Mechanic in the Navy.

The prognosis of the Apediceal Cancer is Permament even though the patient is showing signs of complete remission in the fulture there could be changes to this status and diease status. The Polycythemia Vera will also be permanent and will need monitored for the rest of Mr: B----- Life by routine lab work and possible need for routine phlebotomies.

Signed and Dated by DR

Do you think this letter will hold any value since they have already made a decision on and denied him on the Cancer and gave a 0% service connection on the Polycythemia Vera.

Should i send it to the VA or just forget it??

Thanks,

Jessie

[jessie0054]

Jessie,

About a year ago somebody posted a document showing the types of cancers that were found in association with both non-combusted JP-4 and combusted JP-4. Do you have this as a reference or anything like it. If not, we should try to find it. From what the doctor said it sounds like the chemicals in JP-4 are considered carcenogens. It would be stronger to show a relationship between a specific type of cancer and a specific chemical.

Hello Hoppy:

No I do not have this reference. But i will look for it. Although it might be hard to show a relationship between the Jet Fuel and the type of cancer my son has as it is such a very rare cancer. The closest i came was in some testing done and i believe i found that in the EPA site somewhere i thought i had bookmarked it to go back a print later when i got more printer paper as the report was about 300 pages, But the words RARE CANCERS were in this report. I now cannot find it anywhere!!

Jessie

[jessie0054]

Jessie,

You could always call the doc and ask him if he would be willing the change " I do feel that it is a possibility" to "it is more likely than not". There's no down side to asking and the upside is he may be willing to change it to a stronger statement that the VA would have a harder time dismissing.

If you can find more research like what Hoppy's posting about on the correlation between your son's illness and the jet fuel, wait to ask the doc to change his statement until after you have the research in hand and can show it to him and then ask him if, in light of the evidence you've given him, if he would be willing to change is "possiblity" statement to a "more likely than not statement."

Good luck and keep us posted.

ts

Thanks TS.

I did call the DR on Monday, I'm waiting for a call back from him. I'm pretty sure he will change it wording i might have to write him again and give him the format to follow for the VA.

But i can do that .

Again thanks

Jessie