Letter to Marcia McNutt, President of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine - Investigate Rare Terminal Cancer and Denied Compensation Claims for Veterans
Letter
Dear President McNutt,
I am writing on behalf of Jerry Chiano, my constituent from Long Island, who was diagnosed with a rare form of terminal cancer after serving dutifully in Vietnam. Mr. Chiano has Cholangiocarcinoma, more commonly known as bile duct cancer, which has been linked to hazardous chemicals and water-borne parasites known to be present in Vietnam and the greater Southeast Asia region.
It is estimated that 8,000 Americans are diagnosed with Cholangiocarcinoma each year. As you might know, there are three types of bile duct cancer: 1) Perihilar, which is most common; 2) distal (where the duct passes into the pancreas); and 3) intrahepatic. Very often, bile duct cancers are found after the disease has advanced too far for surgery or treatment, meaning that the vast majority of those who are diagnosed the disease will die. Cholangiocarcinoma is not common among young or middle-aged Americans, but 60% of cases occur in adults 65 years and older -- the Vietnam veteran generation.
Although the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) (Mar 17, 2017) claims that "the exact cause is unknown", it also claims that "exposure to hazardous chemicals such as dioxins and PCBs polychlorinated biphenols, amongst other chemicals, have been linked to an increased risk of developing bile duct cancer". In addition, the CTCA also claims that water-borne parasites called liver flukes (such as Clonorchis sinensis and Opisthorchis viverrin) that are common in Asian countries can infect the bile duct and cause cancer.
?I request that the National Academy of Sciences commission research to determine whether a correlation exists between exposure to phenoxy herbicides like those present in Vietnam, and any of the three forms of Cholangiocarcinoma. I also request a separate study to determine any link between Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis viverrin and any other water-borne parasites known to be associated with the three forms of Cholangiocarcinoma. This research will prove critical as Americans are diagnosed and can more readily assess their likelihood of risk.
I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator
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