Agent Orange was a chemical herbicide used in large quantities during the Vietnam War. It contained dangerous components that are known to be carcinogenic, and research has since shown a link between exposure to Agent Orange and prostate cancer.

While prostate cancer is generally regarded as relatively slow-growing and highly treatable, there is some evidence that prostate cancer linked to Agent Orange may be especially aggressive. 

Within the U.S., the demographic most likely to have been exposed to Agent Orange is made up of military veterans who served in the Vietnam War. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has recognized prostate cancer as one of the “presumptive diseases” linked to Agent Orange, which means that former service members may be eligible for disability payments and other compensation related to their diagnosis. 

Read on for more about the connection between Agent Orange and prostate cancer.

What is Agent Orange?

Between 1961 and 1971, as part of the conflict in Vietnam, the U.S. Armed Forces sprayed approximately 12 million gallons of Agent Orange across thousands of square miles of forest and agricultural land in Vietnam and some neighboring countries. The powerful herbicide was intended to act as a defoliant, reducing plant cover to increase visibility for military operations, and to destroy crops purportedly used by Vietcong and North Vietnamese forces. It was primarily spread by aircraft as part of a program called Operation Ranch Hand.

Agent Orange was the most widely deployed of the defoliants that came to be known as “rainbow chemicals.” Agents Orange, White, Blue, Purple, Pink, and Green ​​were all named for the color of the identifying bands used on their containers. 

Agent Orange proved to be particularly toxic because it contained, as a byproduct of manufacturing, the chemical 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), known commonly as dioxin. Dioxin is a well known carcinogen, and concerns about the use of Agent Orange were raised by medical and veterans groups beginning in the mid 1960s. Longstanding research has now shown that such exposure can lead to a host of serious medical conditions, including prostate cancer.

It is not known exactly how many U.S. military veterans were exposed to Agent Orange. Roughly 3 million served in Southeast Asia during the conflict there, and the VA assumes most, if not all, were exposed to some degree. Millions of Vietnamese civilians were also exposed to Agent Orange, and advocacy groups estimate that as many as 3 million continue to suffer medical problems as a result of that exposure. 

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, behind only lung cancer, with about 1.2 million diagnoses worldwide every year. It affects the prostate, a part of the male reproductive system located between the base of the penis and the rectum. The prostate is a small gland approximately the size of a walnut, and is responsible for the production of most seminal fluid.

Prostate cancer is generally slow-growing and highly treatable, with a 5-year survival rate of about 99%. Depending on the stage of the disease at diagnosis, it may be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or radiation therapy. In some cases, your doctor may choose not to treat prostate cancer at all, and opt instead for close monitoring.

Prostate cancer is most commonly diagnosed in men over the age of 65, and African-American men are at particularly high risk. Symptoms of prostate cancer may include:

• painful urination

• frequent urination

• difficulty urinating, or difficulty fully emptying the bladder

• blood in urine

• pain in the hip, lower back, or perineum (the area between the anus and scrotum)

• painful ejaculation

Link to high-grade prostate cancer

The link between prostate cancer and herbicides like Agent Orange is not entirely understood, but most studies have identified dioxin as the main culprit in cancers linked to Agent Orange and similar chemicals. 

Some studies have shown that men exposed to Agent Orange are both more likely to develop prostate cancer, and more likely to develop aggressive forms of the disease. 

A widely cited 2013 study conducted at the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center found that subjects exposed to Agent Orange during their military service were 52% more likely to develop prostate cancer than those who were not exposed. Those diagnosed with prostate cancer were also 75% more likely to have high-grade prostate cancer. High grade was defined as cancers with a Gleason Score of greater than 7.

Disability and compensation for Agent Orange prostate cancer

Vietnam-era veterans often wonder whether they can receive disability or other benefits through the VA for prostate cancer that may be linked to Agent Orange. This may appear complicated because there is no test that can determine exposure to Agent Orange. 

However, there is no need for patients to prove a hard-to-document link between their diagnosis and Agent Orange exposure. In 1991, the U.S. Congress passed the Agent Orange Act, which in part required the VA and the National Academies of Science to investigate the effect of Agent Orange exposure on veterans. 

The government eventually identified a list of “presumptive diseases” that are assumed to be linked to Agent Orange exposure when diagnosed in veterans who served in Vietnam and some other regions. In 1996, final regulations were codified that officially added prostate cancer to the list of conditions linked to Agent Orange. 

Given its widespread use during a large portion of the Vietnam era, the VA assumes that any veteran who served on active duty in Vietnam was exposed to Agent Orange. This is also true of veterans who served in certain parts of Korea, certain parts of Thailand, and some facilities elsewhere that were involved in the manufacture or transport of the substance. 

Those diagnosed with prostate cancer may be eligible for up to 100% disability declaration while they actively have the disease. The U.S. government is still collecting information about Agent Orange, and veterans can schedule an Agent Orange registry exam to help add to the data on the health effects of Agent Orange exposure. 

Join a prostate cancer community  

Inspire has a large and growing prostate cancer community, where patients find support from others living with the disease. Some of the members in that community link their prostate cancer diagnosis to Agent Orange exposure during their time in the service, and trade the latest news and tips on navigating the VA bureaucracy. 

"Those on ships were treated as Blue Water Navy and in many cases could not get assistance. There had to be a boots of the ground proof. The house is about to pass a bill that will give vets on ships "near" the coast coverage as well. There is a facebook page that gives more details. BlueWaterNavyAssociation. Feel free to as questions here and I will try to help."

Join Inspire today to see how becoming a member can help you on your journey.

Sources

• https://www.epa.gov/dioxin/learn-about-dioxin

• https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/survival-rates.html

• https://www.wjon.org/index.php/wjon/article/view/1191/915

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4090241/

• https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/conditions/

• https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/agent-orange/

• https://www.pcf.org/about-prostate-cancer/diagnosis-staging-prostate-cancer/gleason-score-isup-grade/

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18666213/

• https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/locations/index.asp

• https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/benefits/registry-exam.asp

• https://www.publichealth.va.gov/docs/agentorange/reviews/ao_newsletter_feb97.pdf

• https://sgp.fas.org/crs/row/RL34761.pdf

• https://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/28/2001329797/-1/-1/0/AFD-100928-054.pdf

Disclaimer

Member comments have been lightly edited for length and clarity. This content is for general informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of any organization or individual. The content should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your healthcare provider about any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.