Skin Cancer Risk Seen in Vietnam Vets Exposed to Agent Orange

U.S. veterans of the Vietnam War who were exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange may be at increased risk for skin cancer, a new study warns.

Agent Orange was a chemical spray that was widely used during the Vietnam War to clear foliage in the jungle. It contained a known carcinogen called dioxin, and has been linked to a wide range of cancers and other diseases.

Researchers analyzed the medical records of 100 men who joined the Agent Orange registry at the Veterans Affairs Hospital of Washington, D.C., between August 2009 and January 2010. The men lived or worked in contaminated areas (56 percent), were involved in the spraying of Agent Orange (30 percent), and traveled in contaminated areas (14 percent).

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