As an investigative reporter for many years with such magazines as Newsweek, International Business Times, The Daily Beast, Healthline and more, I took on The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) multiple times. Why? Because there were too many lies coming from our government about our troops and veterans’ health.
The truth is that our men and women in uniform were getting cancer in enormous numbers, but the government was determined to keep it a secret. Things have changed demonstrably since then.
But the issue remains an enormous problem for our military. Every year, about 50,000 new cancer cases are reported in our veterans, according to OncoLink®, the first cancer information website on the Internet.
Debuting in 1994, OncoLink remains one of the largest of its kind. The award-winning site is maintained by a group of oncology healthcare professionals who understand the needs of patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.
OncoLink content, which is constantly updated, ranges from treatment and disease information for a newly diagnosed patient, support through the side effects of treatment, and survivorship.
A recent study from the Department of Defense revealed that military pilots and ground crews experience higher rates of certain cancers compared to the general population, which Axios recently reported.
Earlier military studies had not indicated that aviators were at higher risk, though the data has long been sought by those who raised alarm about the rates of cancer they observed among air and ground crew members, according to the AP, which first reported the study.
According to recent studies, aircrew members have shown a significantly higher rate of all cancers compared to the general population, with a particularly elevated risk of developing melanoma, thyroid cancer, and prostate cancer; with some studies reporting a 15% higher incidence of all cancers among aircrew members.
Ground crew members have a 3% higher rate of cancer overall, and higher rates of brain and nervous system cancers, thyroid cancer, melanoma, and kidney and renal pelvis cancers.
Yes, pilots and other aircrew members have a higher risk of developing cancer than the general population. Here are just some of the cancers that have struck both active duty members of the military and veterans:
Melanoma: Aircrew members have an 87% higher rate of melanoma.
Thyroid cancer: Aircrew members have a 39% higher rate of thyroid cancer.
Prostate cancer: Men in the aircrew have a 16% higher rate of prostate cancer.
Breast cancer: Women in the aircrew have a 16% higher rate of breast cancer.
Overall cancer rate: Aircrew members have a 24% higher rate of cancer overall.
And more:
Gastrointestinal cancers: Cancers of the stomach, small intestine, spleen, tongue, and salivary glands.
Brain, head, and neck cancers
Kidney, bladder, and prostate cancers
Lung, larynx, and trachea cancers
Soft tissue sarcomas: Cancers of the muscle, fat, blood and lymph vessels, and connective tissues .
Leukemias and lymphomas: Cancers such as leukemia, multiple myeloma, and lymphoma.
The VA has added multiple presumptive conditions based on the PACT Act, which expands benefits for veterans from the Gulf War era and after 9/11.
But the real catalyst for the change in how they operate was the numbers themselves. They just couldn’t pretend that nothing was going on. It was literally overwhelming.
These legal cases keep hounding the Army.
For example, two veterans are currently challenging the U.S. Army’s refusal to classify burn pit-related illnesses as combat-related in a class-action lawsuit, according to Lawyer Monthly.
If successful, this case could grant tax-free status for medical retirement pay to thousands of veterans suffering from conditions attributed to toxic burn pit exposure.
The Army has not commented on the ongoing litigation. Historically, the Department of Defense and military services do not comment on active cases.
The plaintiffs hope this lawsuit will result in a ruling that recognizes burn pits as combat-related hazards, ensuring that all affected veterans receive the full retirement benefits they have earned through their service.
