VA presumes non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is related to a Veteran's:
- Exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service or
- Service in Vietnam or in the offshore waters of Vietnam during the Vietnam Era.
These Veterans do not need to prove a connection between their disease and military service to be eligible to receive VA disability compensation.
About non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a type of cancer of the lymph glands and other lymphatic tissue, which are part of the body’s immune system that help to fight infection and disease.
Signs include swollen, painless lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin areas in early stages. Other signs may include fever, night sweats, fatigue, weight loss, abdominal pain or swelling, chest pain or trouble breathing, itchy skin.
Visit Medline Plus to learn about treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the latest research, and more from the National Institutes of Health.
VA benefits for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Veterans with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma who were exposed to herbicides during military service or served in Vietnam during the Vietnam Era (including the waters offshore) may be eligible for disability compensation and health care.
Vietnam Veterans may apply for disability compensation for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma using VA's Fast Track Claims Processing System.
Veterans who served in Vietnam, the Korean demilitarized zone or another area where Agent Orange was sprayed may be eligible for an Agent Orange Registry health exam, a free, comprehensive examination.
Surviving spouses, dependent children and dependent parents of Veterans who were exposed to herbicides during military service or served in Vietnam during the Vietnam Era (including the waters offshore) and died as the result of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma may be eligible for survivors' benefits.
Research on non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and herbicides used in Vietnam
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences concluded in its 1994 report on "Veterans and Agent Orange: Health Effects of Herbicides Used in Vietnam" and in future updates that there is sufficient evidence of a positive association between exposure to herbicides (2,4-D; 2,4,5-T and its contaminant TCDD; cacodylic acid; and picloram) and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
View more research on health effects of Agent Orange.
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