Toxic Exposure
Agent Orange & Cancer Nexus Letters
Agent Orange was a tactical herbicide used widely during the Vietnam War era. Decades later, many veterans are diagnosed with cancers the VA recognizes as linked to that exposure.
About Agent Orange Exposure
The VA presumes exposure for veterans who served in certain locations and time periods, including Vietnam, the Korean DMZ, and several locations added under the PACT Act. For these veterans, exposure itself does not have to be proven separately.
For presumptive cancers, you do not need to prove your service caused the condition — only that you meet the service requirements. A specialty medical opinion still matters when a claim involves a non-presumptive cancer, a secondary condition, or evidence the VA finds unclear.
Cancers the VA Recognizes as Linked to Agent Orange
- Prostate cancer
- Respiratory cancers, including lung cancer
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Hodgkin's disease
- Chronic B-cell leukemias
- Multiple myeloma
- Bladder cancer
- Some soft tissue sarcomas
An Honest, Evidence-Based Opinion
The VA does not list every cancer as presumptive — osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, and mesothelioma are excluded, for example. Where a cancer is not presumptive, a well-reasoned nexus opinion can still help clarify a medical connection when the evidence supports one. A nexus letter never guarantees approval; final decisions rest with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Talk Through Your Case With a Cancer Specialist
Start with a focused VA Case Strategy Consult to find out whether a specialty nexus opinion may be medically appropriate for your claim.