Title 38, Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-102

§1720E Nasopharyngeal Radium Irradiation

Title 38 › PART II — GENERAL BENEFITS › CHAPTER 17 — HOSPITAL, NURSING HOME, DOMICILIARY, AND MEDICAL CARE › SUBCHAPTER II — HOSPITAL, NURSING HOME, OR DOMICILIARY CARE AND MEDICAL TREATMENT › § 1720E

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may give a veteran medical exams and any hospital, nursing‑home, or other care needed to treat head or neck cancer that may be linked to nasopharyngeal radium irradiation received in active military, naval, air, or space service. The VA will usually require service records showing that irradiation, but may still provide care for aviators who served before the end of the Korean conflict and for those who had submarine training before January 1, 1965.

Full Legal Text

Title 38, §1720E

Veterans' Benefits, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary may provide any veteran a medical examination, and hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care, which the Secretary determines is needed for the treatment of any cancer of the head or neck which the Secretary finds may be associated with the veteran’s receipt of nasopharyngeal radium irradiation treatments in active military, naval, air, or space service.

(b)The Secretary shall provide care and services to a veteran under subsection (a) only on the basis of evidence in the service records of the veteran which document nasopharyngeal radium irradiation treatment in service, except that, notwithstanding the absence of such documentation, the Secretary may provide such care to a veteran who—

(1)served as an aviator in the active military, naval, or air service before the end of the Korean conflict; or

(2)underwent submarine training in active naval service before January 1, 1965.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “air, or space service” for “or air service”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

38 U.S.C. § 1720E

Title 38, Veterans' Benefits

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102