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Vietnam vets should know about potential health problem

I am writing about a potential health risk that servicemen may have been exposed to while serving in Vietnam. In addition to Agent Orange, there is a little-known danger from parasites.

My husband, who was otherwise healthy, passed away Jan. 20, 2006, from cholangiocarcinoma, cancer of the bile duct of the liver. At this time, it is very rare in the United States but very prevalent in Vietnam and surrounding countries. There are two known causes of this type of cancer. One cause is to contract hepatitis C, and the other is to have ingested a parasite from the water supply in Vietnam. My husband did not have hepatitis C, and therefore it was determined that his cancer derived from a parasite.

I have received official notification from the VA that his death was service-related, which is not something the VA determines without an overwhelming amount of evidence.

According to the research, this cancer does not manifest itself until later in life, when you are between 60 and 70 years old, but once the symptoms occur, usually jaundice, it is very difficult to treat or beat. My husband was 58 years old when he passed away, and many of his fellow veterans are approaching the age where this may be an issue.

You can access volumes of information on the Internet by entering "cholangiocarcinoma" in a search engine. If you spent time in Southeast Asia and are having gastrointestinal issues, with no apparent reason, please suggest to your physician to check for damage within the bile ducts. It may save your life.

SHEILA K. HARRISON