articles - agent orange
HEALTH CONDITIONS PRESUMPTIVELY RECOGNIZED TO DATE FOR SERVICE
CONNECTION
The following health conditions are presumptively recognized for
service connection. Vietnam veterans with one or more of these conditions
do not have to show that their illness(es) is (are) related to their
military service to get disability compensation. VA presumes that their
condition is service-connected. Conditions Recognized in Veterans
Chloracne (must occur within 1 year of exposure to Agent Orange)
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Soft tissue sarcoma (other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma,
Kaposi's sarcoma, or mesothelioma)
Hodgkin's disease
Porphyria cutanea tarda (must occur within 1 year of exposure)
Multiple myeloma
Respiratory cancers, including cancers of the lung, larynx, trachea,
and bronchus
Prostate cancer
Acute and subacute transient peripheral neuropathy (Must appear
within 1 year of exposure and resolve within 2 years of date of onset)
Type 2 diabetes
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Conditions Recognized in Children of Vietnam Veterans
Spina bifida (except spina bifida occulta)
Certain other birth defects in the children of women Vietnam
veterans
Conditions Briefly Described
Chloracne: A skin condition that looks like common forms
of acne seen in teeagers. The first sign may be excessive oiliness
of the skin. This is accompanied or followed by numerous blackheads.
In mild cases, the blackheads may be limited to the areas around the
eyes extending to the temples. In more severe cases, blackheads may
appear in many places, especially over the cheekbone and other
facial areas, behind the ears, and along the arms.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: A group of malignant tumors
(cancers) that affect the lymph glands and other lymphatic tissue.
These tumors are relatively rare compared to other types of cancer,
and although survival rates have improved during the past two
decades, these diseases tend to be fatal.
Soft tissue sarcoma: A group of different types of
malignant tumors (cancers) that arise from body tissues such as
muscle, fat, blood and lymph vessels, and connective tissues (not in
hard tissue such as bone or cartilage). These cancers are in the
soft tissue that occurs within and between organs.
Hodgkin's disease: A malignant lymphoma characterized by
progressive enlargement of the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen, and
by progressive anemia.
Porphyria cutanea tarda: A disorder characterized by
liver dysfunction and by thinning and blistering of the skin in
sun-exposed areas.
Multiple myeloma: A cancer of specific bone marrow cells
that is characterized by bone marrow tumors in various bones of the
body.
Respiratory cancers: Cancers of the lung, larynx,
trachea, and bronchus.
Prostate cancer: Cancer of the prostate; one of the most
common cancers among men.
Peripheral neuropathy (transient acute or subacute): A
nervous system condition that causes numbness, tingling, and muscle
weakness. This condition affects only the peripheral nervous system,
that is, only the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord.
Only the transietn acute (short-term) and subacute forms of this
condition (not the chronic persistent form) have been associated
with herbicide exposure.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (regulations pending): A
disease that progresses slowly with increasing production of
excessive numbers of white blood cells.
Spina bifida (in the children of Vietnam veterans): A
neural tube birth defect that results from the failure of the bony
portion of the spine to close properly in the developing fetus
during early pregnancy.
Diabetes mellitus: Often referred to as Type 2 diabetes;
a condition characterized by high blood sugar levels resulting from
the body's inability to respond properly to the hormone insulin.
Other (than spinal bifida) disabilities in the children of
women Vietnam veterans: Covered birth defects include a wide
range of conditions. Eighteen defects are specifically included and
others not specifically excluded are covered.
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