Agent Orange

[sid]

Today I was in a hospital waiting room and got to chat with another old guy. He was a Viet Nam vet and said that he was suffering from cancer caused by Agent Orange. He said that this defoliant caused 12 different types of cancer and insisted that everyone who had served in Nam had been effected by this. Is this true or was he just exaggerating everything?

[dogtag]

Don't know, but something that defoliates trees can't be
too good for you if it gets up your nose or into another orifice.
Some people have better immune systems than others.
Why were you there if you'll excuse my asking ?

[Vern Humphrey]

My Dad used 2 4 5T to defoliate about a thousand acres on the ranch. I hiked, rode, and punched cattle through that area. In two tours in Viet Nam, I was in areas where Agent Orange was used heavily -- and I'm an Infantryman. I was out in the bush constantly. I have had no problems.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10192310

We studied cancer prevalence and exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (dioxin) in veterans of Operation Ranch Hand, the Air Force unit responsible for the aerial spraying of herbicides in Vietnam from 1962 to 1971. A comparison group of Air Force veterans who served in Southeast Asia during the same period and who were not involved with spraying herbicides was included. Comparison veterans were matched to Ranch Hand veterans on age, race, and military occupation. We measured dioxin in 1987 or 1992, extrapolated the result to the time of service in Southeast Asia, and assigned each Ranch Hand veteran to Background, Low, or High exposure categories. This study had low power to detect an effect for specific or rare cancers. The risk of cancer at sites other than the skin within 20 years of service was increased in the Low (odds ratio (OR) = 3.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5-8.0) and High (OR = 2.7, 95% CI 0.9-8.0) categories, but the pattern was inconsistent with another study, suggesting that the excess risk may not have been caused by dioxin exposure. Overall, we found no consistent evidence of a dose-response gradient and no significant increase in cancer risk in the High dioxin exposure category, the subgroup of greatest a priori interest.

(My emphasis)

[p246]

There is now a test the VA uses to determine A.O. Exposure from my understanding. My dad and uncle tested positive. They were in the 9th Division until they broke it up in 1969. They were both in an air mobile field artillery unit on different fire bases (Uncle Fire Base Danger, Dads I can’t pronounce but up the road). I’m sure each person reacts differently. My uncle passed away at 54 but we don’t know how much A.O played a part. Dad has had some health issues but is still going strong. He has been happy with the care he has gotten at the VA.

[RETREAD123456]

Served. 68-69. and about 6 mos. in 70 in I Corps. Was having problems. and went to VA about. 4 years back. Lots of tests interviews all done with respect and compassion. Verdict .Parkinsons due to. AO exposure Funny, we used to keep the weeds and brush down with. that stuff Didn't hear anything about poison

[barretcreek]

Good friend is an M.D., was on Navy transports delivering AO. He said the drums leaked and he got soaked with the stuff unloading them. He has soft tissue sarcomas which he says is AO related.

[Liam]

VA recognized my Dad's type II diabetes as related to AO exposure due to his flights out of Cam Ranh Bay on Army P2s. Barrels of the stuff apparently all over the tarmac. He's 83 this year, so still chugging along. Albeit, a bit slower these days.

[m1ashooter]

AO has killed off a lot of our men and Vietnamese too.

[1563621]

My Bro in the Air Force died last summer from AO. Air base in Thailand.