Stage Iv Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of Head & Neck

My husband served in Viet Nam at Chu Lai, He has been diagnosed with Stage IV Squamous cell carcinoma of the head & neck.

The cancer is at the base of his tongue, epiglotis, vocal cords, also stage 2  cancer in the lymph nodes.

He has been through Chemo & radiation every day, 5 days a week for 13 weeks.  This began in 2005 at the VA.  He just underwent another round of chemo & the tumor is larger.

They wanted to remove his tongue, voice box, vocal chords etc & we said no.

They give no compensation & want this to be a learning experience for the medical students.

He was mis- diagnosed from the beginning, they said it was post nasal drip.  They finally did a biopsy, which they lost & tried to say he had an appointment & missed it, we were notified about 4 months later.

Are there others out there who were exposed to Agent Orange with the same type of cancer.

Please let me know.

 

Thank you............Donna      

  

 

yes, my husband was exposed to Agent Orange....any compensation was denied.....but you have to get on with treatment. and life. We believe Agt Orange contributed but so did other circumstances in life. He smoked but quit 20 years ago. He had chewed tobacco on and off. Also drank heavy once, but had been in AA for 25 years. So vietnam and Agt Orange were not the only factors Lately the news has found a connection with the HPV virus and throat cancer (oral sex). Someone in our support group asked the intern at our group if that was true, and if that also could cause squamous cell carcanoma, in which the dr replied, true. So the whole darn thing of why me is a hard pill to swallow....but I guess the answer is why not me. Hope all goes well with you treatment!

I`m a Nam vet that has battled Stage IV Tonsil/Lymphnode cancer. Denied compensation because our cancer isn`t on the presumed list.....yet.

He should have never went to the V.A for treatment. I took radiation/chemo for 7 weeks.

Ron

 

On 8/7/2007 xononna wrote:

My husband served in Viet Nam at Chu Lai, He has been diagnosed with Stage IV Squamous cell carcinoma of the head & neck.

The cancer is at the base of his tongue, epiglotis, vocal cords, also stage 2  cancer in the lymph nodes.

He has been through Chemo & radiation every day, 5 days a week for 13 weeks.  This began in 2005 at the VA.  He just underwent another round of chemo & the tumor is larger.

They wanted to remove his tongue, voice box, vocal chords etc & we said no.

They give no compensation & want this to be a learning experience for the medical students.

He was mis- diagnosed from the beginning, they said it was post nasal drip.  They finally did a biopsy, which they lost & tried to say he had an appointment & missed it, we were notified about 4 months later.

Are there others out there who were exposed to Agent Orange with the same type of cancer.

Please let me know.

 

Thank you............Donna      

  

 

My father has the exact same thing, although he went thru with the surgery and wishes that he didn't.  The VA has denied any claim and said he is not considered disabled.  I am beside myself that they can go to bed at night and turn him away.  Especially when I have seen some people get 100% disability for far less.  My Father can't talk or eat and his quality of life is terrible and he was in Vietnam too.  Served his country for 23 years.  I am getting ready to appeal their decision now.

 

Thanks,

Holly

 

Had scc of head and neck (Feb.2000), mine was base of tongue that fed to neck and sholder. They took out right neck and sholder. VA said it was from smoking not agent orange. I am re filing bast on what I found below

http://www.va.gov/vetapp03/files/0303316.txt

 

Good Luck