Prostate cancer decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for further development regarding in-service asbestos exposure and its potential connection to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on all issues except peripheral neuropathy of the abdomen and irritable bowel syndrome have been remanded due to a need for further verification regarding herbicide exposure. The appeal for these two conditions has been withdrawn.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain a new medical opinion regarding the onset and etiology of the Veteran's essential hypertension, which may be related to military service. The AOJ should readjudicate the claim on appeal after receiving this additional information.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, Parkinson's disease, and subarachnoid cyst (claimed as a brain tumor) due to exposure to Agent Orange. The evidence did not show any in-service or post-service diagnosis of these conditions.

The Veteran's evaluation for prostate cancer has been reduced from 100 to 20 percent, effective December 1, 2012. The appeal is also pending regarding an increased evaluation for the same condition.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicides (Agent Orange) during his active duty in Vietnam.

The Veteran's prostate cancer has been rated at 60 percent since September 30, 2011. The Board finds that the current rating is appropriate as there is no evidence of local reoccurrence or metastasis and his prostate cancer residuals do not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on voiding dysfunction.

The Veteran's type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and prostate cancer were not shown to be related to his military service or exposure to herbicides/herbicide agents, ionizing radiation, BG, or Project SHAD chemicals. The Board finds that the claims for these disabilities must be denied.

The Board finds no error in the November 2009 rating decision's calculation of the combined disability rating of 80 percent and denies the request for a higher combined disability rating.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the issues of entitlement to service connection for prostate cancer and bladder cancer.

The Veteran's throat and prostate cancer were not found to be related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides. The Board determined that the evidence did not show any direct or presumptive connection.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not incurred or related to his active service, including exposure to Agent Orange. The Board found that the evidence did not establish an in-service event, injury, or disease relating his current prostate cancer to his period of active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's prostate cancer is not related to his exposure to ionizing radiation in service and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the accrued benefits claim for prostate cancer due to ionizing radiation exposure, as the previous opinion was inadequate and did not consider all relevant factors.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, including as due to herbicide exposure, is being remanded for further development and clarification of the evidence regarding his potential exposure to Agent Orange while stationed at Anderson Air Force Base in Guam.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination if necessary. The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, prostate cancer, and colon cancer are pending.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not manifested in service or within the first post-service year, and is not shown to be related to his active service, including exposure to ionizing radiation therein.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for prostate cancer and a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding no reasonable possibility that his prostate cancer resulted from radiation exposure in service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and prostate cancer, both claimed as due to herbicide exposure. The AOJ needs to verify the Veteran's alleged exposure in Panama and conduct further development regarding these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a VA examination to determine the etiology of his genitourinary problems.