Veterans Day: Cancer, Military Exposures and the VA Benefits You May Have Earned
November 11, 2026 · Cancer Information, Cancer Support
Today is Veterans Day. Many veterans were exposed during their service to substances that can raise cancer risk, from Agent Orange in Vietnam to burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. If you're a veteran with cancer, or a family member of one, you may be entitled to VA health care and disability benefits, and the rules have expanded in recent years. Here's an overview.
What "presumptive" means
Normally, to get VA disability compensation, a veteran has to show that a condition is connected to their service. For some exposures, the VA instead presumes the connection. If you served in a covered place and time and you have a presumptive condition, you don't have to prove the exposure caused it.
The PACT Act
The PACT Act, passed in 2022, is one of the largest expansions of VA benefits in decades. According to the VA, it:
- expands VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances;
- adds more than 20 presumptive conditions, including many cancers, and more presumptive exposure locations;
- requires the VA to give every enrolled veteran a toxic exposure screening.
Burn pits and other airborne hazards
The VA presumes a service connection for a long list of cancers in veterans who served in certain locations, including:
- brain cancer, including glioblastoma
- gastrointestinal cancers of any type, and pancreatic cancer
- head and neck cancers of any type
- kidney and other genitourinary cancers
- lymphomas and other blood and lymphatic cancers
- melanoma
- reproductive cancers of any type
- respiratory cancers of any type
Covered service includes, for example, service on or after August 2, 1990, in places such as Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Somalia, and on or after September 11, 2001, in places such as Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Uzbekistan and Yemen, including the airspace above these locations. Check the VA's website for the full list of places and dates.
Agent Orange
The VA presumes these cancers are connected to Agent Orange exposure:
- bladder cancer
- chronic B-cell leukemias
- Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- multiple myeloma
- prostate cancer
- respiratory cancers, including lung cancer
- some soft tissue sarcomas
Covered service includes Vietnam and its inland waterways from January 9, 1962, to May 7, 1975, and the Korean demilitarized zone from September 1, 1967, to August 31, 1971. The PACT Act added locations including U.S. or Royal Thai military bases in Thailand, Laos, parts of Cambodia, Guam, American Samoa and Johnston Atoll, each for specific dates.
Get a toxic exposure screening
Every veteran enrolled in VA health care is offered a toxic exposure screening, with a follow-up at least every 5 years. Ask at your next VA appointment, or contact your local VA facility. The screening is a chance to record your exposures and talk about any health concerns, including cancer screening.
How to file a claim
- Disability compensation: file online at VA.gov, by mail, in person, or with help from a trained professional such as an accredited veterans service officer. You can also submit an "intent to file" to hold your place while you gather records.
- If you were denied before, you can file a Supplemental Claim. You don't have to wait for the VA to contact you.
- Survivors of veterans who died from a covered condition may be eligible for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and other benefits.
- Health care: you can apply for VA health care online at VA.gov, by phone or in person. The PACT Act made many more veterans eligible.
The VA says there's no deadline to file, but filing sooner gets benefits started sooner. You can call the VA at 800-698-2411 (TTY: 711).
Getting cancer care
Veterans can get cancer care through the VA, and in some cases from community providers. Whatever route you take, tell every doctor about your military service and exposures, since it can affect which screenings you should have. Our directory can help you find oncologists, cancer treatment centers, financial assistance and attorneys who handle benefits and exposure cases.
The bottom line
If you served and now have cancer, check whether your condition and your service locations are on the VA's presumptive lists. The PACT Act made many more veterans and survivors eligible. Thank you for your service.
This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Talk with your doctor about your own situation.