McCains Brain Cancer Draws Renewed Attention to Possible Agent Orange Connection

[G_j]

https://www.propublica.org/article/mccain-brain-cancer-draws-renewed-attention-to-possible-agent-orange

For years, Vietnam vets and their widows have been pushing the VA to extend benefits to those exposed to the toxic herbicide and later stricken with glioblastoma. The VA has said no, but advocates hope the agency will now revisit the issue.

This story was co-published with the Houston Chronicle.

When Amy Jones’ dad, Paul, was diagnosed with glioblastoma last month, she wondered whether it might be tied to his time in Vietnam.

Then, last week, when Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., also a Vietnam veteran, was diagnosed with the same aggressive brain cancer, Jones searched online for glioblastoma and Vietnam vets.

She soon learned the disease is one of a growing list of ailments that some Vietnam veterans and their relatives believe is caused by exposure to Agent Orange, the toxic herbicide sprayed during the war.

..more..

[elehhhhna]

1. The way he kisses agent oranges ass

He certainly had some recent exposure

[OnDoutside]

5. We have a winner !!!

Very good !

[Sneederbunk]

2. He was a pilot. Not sure how that relates to those exposed on the ground.

[trof]

3. On an aircraft carrier. Not too likely.

Not even for the years he was in captivity.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. Maybe the exposure occurred when he was a POW?

Was Agent Orange used anywhere near the Hanoi Hilton?

[Sneederbunk]

6. Again not sure how much defoliation took place in Hanoi.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

9. He had a couple of beers at the O-Club in Saigon.

The V.A. will bend over backward for the senator, unlike most veterans who have to jump through hoops to prove a connection between current cancer and former exposure to agent orange.

[GulfCoast66]

7. Not too many weeds to spray on a carrier

And bombing Hanoi was extremely dangerous. I do not think we were up there spraying off the road shoulders.

[maxsolomon]

8. My mom died of it

she wasn't in Vietnam that I recall.

alternate explanation: shit happens.

[justhanginon]

11. Yep! I'm 80 and believe me at 80 all kinds of shit happens.

Part of growing old I suppose. Golden years sometimes are a bit tarnished.

[politicat]

10. Risk factors include previous radiation, which McCain had.

And genetics, and age, and possibly the Y chromosome (since it's far more common in men of all ages, and men between the ages of 62 and 80 were more likely to be Korea/Vietnam era, so it may just be an artifact of the Baby Boom.)

[Purveyor]

12. I'm more suspect of cellphone's. Senator Ted Kennedy had the same cancer but wasnt

exposed to AO.

I talk on mine as little as possible and still maintain a landline (VoIP) for when I'm in the chatty mood (almost never).