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  • Bladder Cancer and Military Service

    Posted by momof4 on January 13, 2009 at 4:42 pm

    My husband Angelo served in the US Navy on a Nuclear Submarine…I know that there are other veterans on the site, I was wondering if we could complile a list of those who did serve and have, or a loved one that had bladder cancer.


    Caregiver for my Wonderful Husband Angelo, who has Metastatic Bladder Cancer.

    Life isn’t about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.

    jeffpd replied 2 years, 11 months ago 6 Members · 6 Replies
  • 6 Replies
  • jeffpd

    Member
    August 5, 2021 at 1:57 am

    Like RAH (previous post) I was in Air Force, but a C-5 loadmaster. When I too was diagnosed with bladder cancer, I too was asked “how long I was a smoker?” Answered “never”. Question 2 was “did you work a lot with chemicals?”, I thought for a second… I did have to empty 3-5 cans of government provided pesticide whenever we flew into or out of CONUS to prevent the spread of insects between continents, mostly over Japanese beetles. Did anyone else think of this? Currently re-filing my VA, but building “proof” or “research” to accomplish. Any additional comments appreciated. Also considering other possibilities as we would leave diesel vehicles running while we climbed underneath to put chain on to provide restraint. Past the “agent orange” dates, but there is no way to ensure cargo areas could be perfectly cleaned? Frequently told while at altitude, the increased levels of radiation was equivalent to 7 chest x-rays every hour… I was just short of 5,000 flying hours. Regards.

  • SailorMan

    Member
    January 24, 2009 at 12:19 pm

    I served in the US Navy and Navy Reserve from 1974 until 2005. Served on a bunch of ships including several years on a nuclear powered ship. I have recently spoken to some of my sipmates from that ship and they had not heard of any other bladder cancers.

    Oh and I did not smoke nor work with chemicals

  • Rockyiss

    Member
    January 20, 2009 at 6:16 pm

    Hi my son served on the USS Tennesee , a nuclear sub ( also called a boomer) in the late ninetys. He does not have b.c. He is thirtyone. Rocky

  • momof4

    Member
    January 13, 2009 at 10:40 pm

    One of the reasons I am bringing up this subject is that there are 4 men being treated at Wake Forest all of whom served in the military between 1977-1994…I just found that odd…I do understand that smoking is also very popular in the military…I guess I just want a poll of sorts…If they don’t know how to cure it…how can they be so sure what causes it? Sometimes you can’t fix something unless you work backwards…just a thought…


    Caregiver for my Wonderful Husband Angelo, who has Metastatic Bladder Cancer.

    Life isn’t about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.

  • RAH

    Member
    January 13, 2009 at 7:04 pm

    I served the United States Air Force for 18 years. I retired in 1995.
    I was a loadmaster on a C-141 traveling the world as a crewmember for my entire career.

    When I was diagnosed with Bladder Cancer, my doctor asked the usual questions.
    How long have I smoked? (never)
    Have I worked around Chemicals? (no)

    I did let him know that a mission I supported during my career was the carrying of nuclear weapons from base to base. I let him know that some of the weapons were tagged as “leakers”.
    The doctor told me that exposure to nuclear radiation would not cause Bladder Cancer but Leukemia. (Something to look forward to).

    Rick

  • pemquid

    Member
    January 13, 2009 at 5:06 pm

    My Dad, born in 1905, had bladder cancer when he was in his 70s. He served in the Army in N. Africa and Italy (field artillery) in World War II (actually from 1940-1945, since he was unfortunate enough to be selected in the first peace-time draft in 1940). He was a smoker, and I suspect that was a major contributing factor in his BLC. He only had one recurrence of the BLC, and at the time of his death at age 84 due to lung cancer (unrelated to his BLC), he had been clear of BLC long enough to be on annual check-ups. Since I, too, have BLC but have never smoked, I suspect there may be a hereditary component too.

    Ann


    Small TA Grade 1, May-06; recur (2 tiny), same, June-08; TURBTs both times. BCG begun July-08, dosage to 1/3rd May-10, completed treatment December-11. All clear since 2008.

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