Prostate cancer decisions — 2000

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death due to prostate cancer, finding no competent medical evidence linking his military service or any service-connected disability to his death.

The veteran's service-connected residuals of surgical removal of the prostate due to cancer results in symptoms requiring him to wear absorbent materials, which must be changed 2 to 4 times per day. The Board has granted a 40 percent disability evaluation for this condition.

The veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and special monthly compensation were denied as there was no indication of intent to apply prior to September 15, 1998.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer with loss of left testicle and whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for residuals of TURP, finding no direct relationship between his current conditions and military service.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for postoperative residuals of retropubic prostatectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection due to prostate cancer as residual to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death due to COPD and cor pulmonale, as well as a claim for prostate cancer related to service. The evidence does not support these claims.

The veteran's prostate cancer is granted as service connected due to exposure to Agent Orange during his military service.

The veteran died of pancreatic and metastatic prostate cancer, neither of which were service-connected. The Board found no causal link between the service-connected prostatitis and the development of prostate cancer.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer due to exposure to Agent Orange, and the claim for a back condition is allowed as new and material evidence was presented.

The Board has granted a 40% evaluation for the appellant's service-connected prostate cancer, status post prostatectomy. Additionally, it has awarded special monthly compensation (SMC) due to loss of use of a creative organ as a result of his erectile dysfunction/impotence.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and an examination. The veteran's prostate cancer and penile implant issues are still under review.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer due to exposure to ionizing radiation as there is no evidence of such exposure during his active duty.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disability and found that new and material evidence has been submitted. The Board also determined that the veteran's genitourinary disabilities, including bladder dysfunction and prostate cancer, are not related to his military service or exposure to ionizing radiation.

The VA determined that the veteran's prostate cancer was not caused by a failure of VA to properly diagnose and treat his condition, thus denying compensation benefits.

The veteran's service-connected residuals of prostate cancer, including mild urinary incontinence requiring the occasional use of absorbent material, are rated at a 20 percent disability level.

The Board has found that the veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, kidney cancer, and a back disorder are well grounded. The RO is directed to undertake development as outlined in the remand instructions before rating these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for prostate cancer with right orchiectomy, including as secondary to his service-connected postoperative left orchiectomy. The evidence did not support a finding that there was any relationship between the prostate cancer and right orchiectomy and his service-connected postoperative left orchiectomy.

The veteran died in October 1998 from prostate cancer. The claim for DIC benefits is denied as there was no service-connected disability that caused his death. Improved pension benefits were paid to the appellant for the month of October 1998, and this appeal is granted on that basis. However, there are no accrued benefits due because the evidence of increased deductible medical expenses in 1998 was not available at the time of the veteran's death.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's service-connected disabilities to his cause of death, sepsis due to prostate cancer. The claim is denied as not well grounded.

The veteran's service-connected prostate cancer, which was present at the time of the initial rating decision, warrants a 100 percent evaluation.