Genetic Testing, an Efficient Tool to Identify Veterans’ Cancer Risks

Our daily lives are just now adapting to the fact that modern technologies offer unpredicted improvements in health care. Among these cutting-edge tools is DNA technology, which provides remarkable solutions to tracing the development of various severe diseases such as cancers and individual inkling to develop certain malignancies.

Over the years, numerous statistics and studies concluded that cancer impacts far too many veterans every year, and the VA doubled efforts to introduce DNA technology into its healthcare, striving to provide genetic testing for veterans and help identify cancer risks and inform treatment decisions if they are on the cancer care continuum. Genetic cancer tests help former service members from cancer screening to survivorship. At its core, genetic testing looks for differences in the DNA that are linked to:

certain health conditions
physical traits
disease risk
the patient's response to medicines

The VA introduced free genetic testing in 2019 as part of its commitment to deliver personalized healthcare programs; the initiative aims to offer veterans genetic and hereditary cancer testing. These procedures help tailor cancer treatments and improve medication effects based on genetic information. Simply put, it's a blood or saliva test with enhanced results.

Even if genetic testing is not available for all types of cancer, it can cover many common and rare malignancies. Gene variations found during genetic cancer testing not only help with decisions about how to proceed with treating the disease but can also help to understand why the condition developed and how to detect them early or prevent them altogether. Veterans who wish to have this test done should contact the VA medical center where they are currently receiving care, or the primary care provider can refer them if they meet the criteria for the test. Genetic cancer tests can help you with valuable information about:

causes of cancer
best treatment approach
adaptability to new drugs
other cancer risks

Once you know your cancer risks, you can begin periodic screening for early detection or make lifestyle changes to prevent those cancers. It's vital information that genetic test results cannot be used to deny or reduce veterans' service-connected benefits.

Pharmacogenomic (PGx) Testing for Medications

Genetic technology can focus on many implications, one being how an individual responds to different types of medication. More precisely, PGx's primary focus is identifying how a person's genes affect their response to medicines. So, PGx differs from genetic tests that reveal if patients are likely to develop common diseases like cancer. It uses genomic information to determine how people will respond to certain medications.

PGx is essential to delivering personalized medicine to veterans, as it helps doctors choose the most effective drugs and dosages with minimal side effects. The test requires one blood tube, and the results will be available in 10-20 days in a written form sent to the veteran and the healthcare provider. The knowledge about how genes affect medicines can help your doctor with the following:

deciding which drugs and doses may work better for you
helping avoid side effects caused by pharmaceuticals
spending valuable time trying different medications
PGx test results remain in your medical record forever as a base for future prescribing

In Addition to Cancer Genetic Testing, the VA Also Has a Cancer Screening Program

In veterans exposed to toxic contaminants during service, lung cancer is the primary cause of cancer-related deaths. Due to their exposure to hazardous substances like asbestos during service, certain former service members discovered only after decades that their health was affected.

In such cases, regular cancer screening can be lifesaving because malignancies are most treatable when caught at an early stage, preferably before symptoms appear. Cancer screening is especially vital for veterans who may be at higher risk of developing lung cancer, such as:

veterans with a history of asbestos exposure
smokers

To qualify for lung cancer screening, veterans should meet the following conditions:

are aged 50-80
current Smokers or have quit within the past 15 years
smoked for at least 20 pack-years

Besides periodic screening, the VA offers further help for veterans diagnosed with cancer through approx. 500 cancer specialists in the system supporting veterans' cancer care. Former service members can access a range of treatment options:

traditional surgery
radiation
chemotherapy
precision oncology
alternative practices
physical therapy
counseling

Furthermore, there's real-time advancement of oncology through clinical trial research with veteran participants to learn more about cancer. Veterans can undergo clinical trials at any time during their cancer treatment. Oncology research projects are another way for the VA to advance cancer therapies and implement the results into clinical practice, ensuring that vets receive the most up-to-date care.

TeleOncology, the Virtual Cancer Care

Veterans can access the National TeleOncology service (NTO) via an internet-connected device in their home or local VA medical center, such as a computer, phone, or tablet. This program provides cancer care for vets living in smaller or rural facilities while ensuring that all receive the same standard of care as patients of larger VA medical centers.

TeleOncology is necessary to provide care, as 66% of rural counties have no oncologist, an American Society of Clinical Oncology report states. The VA uses a "hub-and-spoke" model of care through partnerships with spoke-site VA Medical Centers nationwide to address the lack of cancer providers in remote areas. Teams of professional staff include:

care coordination nurses
physicians
clinical pharmacy practitioners
advanced practice providers
telehealth care technicians
medical support assistants

Veterans can connect with providers by traveling to a spoke VA site to communicate with the NTO clinical teams via video telehealth or from their homes via VA Video Connect. Those wishing to access TeleOclolgy are advised to talk to their primary care provider and check if TeleOncology is an option.

VA Benefits for Toxic Exposure

Former military personnel diagnosed with cancer stemming from toxic exposure during service can apply for VA benefits, such as disability compensation, health care; those diagnosed with cancer linked to asbestos exposure can seek financial indemnification through the asbestos trust funds.

The VA claim can be submitted by accessing the VA website individually or with the assistance of a VSO or a non-profit organization that helps by guiding vets through the claims process.

Offering Assistance for Veterans in Filing Claims for Compensation

Navy personnel injured by asbestos fibers while serving on ships built before the 1980s may qualify to file for compensation to cover hospitalization and medical treatment costs if they have proof of asbestos exposure and were diagnosed with asbestos cancers such as:

If your medical records state any of the diseases listed above and you wish to take legal steps, an attorney specializing in asbestos claims can help you gather the necessary documentation and then represent you through the process of a successful case. We can help by connecting you with legal experts ready to take on your case.