Guest Blog Written by Timothy Elliot

Years after leaving the service, thousands of US veterans are finding themselves caught in the crosshairs of an often deadly battle against mesothelioma. Mesothelioma, which is a cancer of the tissue lining the lungs, stomach, and heart caused by exposure to asbestos, is diagnosed in nearly 1,000 veterans a year and is far more common in veterans than civilians.  In fact it’s believed that over 30% of all mesothelioma victims are veterans. 

Mesothelioma is far more prevalent in veterans because before the link between asbestos and cancer was discovered the military used asbestos in over 300 different items, from shingles to floor tiles.  Asbestos was most common in Navy shipyards, where it was sprayed in gaseous clouds onto ships for insulation and fire-proofing.   Because asbestos is most dangerous when the stray particles are breathed in and get caught in the lungs, these shipyards were extremely dangerous places to work.  In fact in the 1990’s the EPA declared the Curtis Coast Guard Yard, the Pensacola Naval Air Base, and many other military bases as Superfund sites because of the dangerous levels of asbestos that remained there. 

Although today most military bases are completely absent of asbestos, the number of mesothelioma diagnoses will continue to escalate in the next 5-10 years.  The disease can have a latency period of 20-50 years showing no sign of symptoms before it begins to metastasize and spread throughout the body.  Because the peak period for asbestos use in the military began in 1939 when the Navy mandated that all new ships must be built using asbestos and the late 1970’s when it was discovered that asbestos was dangerous, there are still thousands of veterans who have yet to be diagnosed with mesothelioma. 

Fortunately it is treatable when it is detected before it has had a chance to spread throughout the body. If the cancer is diagnosed early enough, the surgical removal of the tumor is possible.  However because many mesothelioma symptoms, including trouble breathing and a fluid build-up in the lungs, are also symptomatic of so many other less serious diseases it’s all too common for mesothelioma to go undiagnosed for far too long.  Once it has metastasized it is impossible to cure and as a result most veterans who are diagnosed with it have a life expectancy of only a year or two after being diagnosed.  Because the early detection of the disease is so crucial to a victim’s chances of survival, it’s recommended that any veterans who may have come into contact with asbestos speak with their doctor about regularly being screened for mesothelioma. 

Although a diagnosis of mesothelioma may seem at first like a death sentence, veterans have several options open to them.  The Veterans Benefit Programs Improvement Act of 2010 made it easier to claim benefits with improvements in “presumptions of service”, and mesothelioma is covered by VA disability compensation benefits.  Further, organizations like the Fisher House Foundation work to help veterans with disability’s families in myriad ways.  

With the looming possibility of many more diagnoses of mesothelioma in veterans in the coming years, it is absolutely paramount that information about the early symptoms of mesothelioma and the importance of early detection becomes a part of the conversation regarding veterans’ health.  For the past thirty years our veterans have been fighting an invisible war against a deadly enemy and it’s time to turn the floodlights on the seriousness of this disease.