The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the pharynx is related to his military service, including exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence weighs against the claim.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided by VA doctors indicate that the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma was not caused by Agent Orange exposure or any other service-connected condition, and is more likely due to his personal risk factors such as smoking and alcohol use. The long period between service and diagnosis also suggests that the cancer did not develop during active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the pharynx
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 1, 2018
- Citation
- 1806668
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1806668.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the pharynx, finding it at least as likely as not that the condition was caused by exposure to herbicide agents during active duty in Vietnam.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's oropharyngeal cancer is related to herbicide exposure in service. The VA examiner needs to address the Veteran’s history of smoking and quitting.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's herbicide exposure and HPV status, which are key factors in determining whether his cancer is related to service.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the pharynx and left foot hallux valgus deformity and hammer toes are not service-connected. The claims were denied as there is no persuasive evidence of herbicide exposure during service, which would be required for presumptive service connection.
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