Cancer/Tumor questions, waiver info

[Guest future16driver]

Question

Wondering if non malignant skin cancer is DQ for pilot. I went to the dermatologist the other day and said that s what i had any info. i dont want to get it fixed if its DQ, but its a potential health problemo

Future Dart driver

[Guest F16PilotMD]

Basal Cell and Squamous Cell are not DQ. Melanoma is DQ. If you ignore any of these, though, you will eventually pay a big price. Take care of yourself first.

[Guest future16driver]

thanks dart MD,

Hey just curious what happens if you do ignore it. i have a derm appt. next week, butwhat would happen if i did ignore it. Does it leave a scar if i have it remooved. I have had one for like 3 years that i have ignores, will this be bad?

Dart

[Guest F16PilotMD]

I don't know what you have..."non-malignant skin cancer" sounds like a phrase used by a doctor to try to explain it to a lay person.

IF you have a squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer or a malignant melanoma that you ignore it can continue to grow and spread. Some types can spread silently to other organs. They can remain silent until it's too late to treat them. They can be fatal.

RELAX. You are probably not in that category. BUT, don't ignore your issue. If a dermatologist wants you to follow-up on something, do it. He/She can guide you about what to look for in the future.

I tell my pilot patients the same thing over and over...I can try to get you a waiver for anything, except death. Take care of yourself first.

[Guest pilothoper]

Just had a quick question, I am applying for an Active Duty pilot slot, and lately I have been feeling some soarness on one of my testicles and wont go away. I am supposed to get the board results next month, and dont know if I should go check my self out ASAP or should wait till after the results come back. I guess my fear is that once the AF documents my case it will automatically DQ me from any UPT chances. Any comments on what I should do??? Also does anybody know if a person is diagnosed with testicular cancer and later cured, can you re-apply for a pilot slot, or because you were once dignosed with testicular cancer, that is an automatic DQ??? Please let me know, I would appreciate any inputs.

FYI: I passed my FC1 about 4 months ago and they did not find anything...

[Guest F16PilotMD]

Testicular cancer is USUALLY not painful but there are no absolutes. Typically, a firm nodule on the testicle is what we worry about. Soreness can be anything from infection/inflammation to cancer. If you feel the pain mostly in the back of the testicle where the plumbing attaches, that is most likely infection/inflammation.

Bottom line - get yourself checked out tomorrow. It's not worth it. If you have something that will DQ you, there is no point in waiting. You cannot hide forever. And, by the way, you may do yourself harm.

[Guest DickMartin1]

I talked to a recruiter today and he told me that I am not qualified to join due to having cancer in the past. I had a form of lymphoma and have been in remission for 9 years! I am in excellent health now. I have competed in NCAA sports, I am a fireman, SCUBA diver and pilot. I have NO problems medically anymore. Is this true? Can I get a waiver to join the CG? He tells me it permanently DQ's me. Is there any way around it??!! I am very very very disappointed about this!

[Guest ET]

I don't know

That being said I do know that recruiters usually don't know dick about medical standards, especially not current medical standards. I had 4 recruiters tell me that my knee surgery was disqualifying till I found one that knew the standards.

My advice... don't take No for an answer. There is usually a way around the medical and if not there is a waiver for just about anything. Go to the source, research, talk to a flight doc and then talk to another one if you don't hear what you want to hear.

[Guest awfltdoc]

I talked to a recruiter today and he told me that I am not qualified to join due to having cancer in the past. I had a form of lymphoma and have been in remission for 9 years! I am in excellent health now. I have competed in NCAA sports, I am a fireman, SCUBA diver and pilot. I have NO problems medically anymore. Is this true? Can I get a waiver to join the CG? He tells me it permanently DQ's me. Is there any way around it??!! I am very very very disappointed about this!

AFI 48-123v2:

A2.19. Tumors and Malignant Diseases.

A2.19.1. Malignant neoplasms or residuals of treatment.

A2.19.2. Neoplastic conditions of lymphoid and blood-forming tissues.

A3.32.2. Current or history of malignant tumors (V10) is disqualifying. Skin cancer (other than

malignant melanoma) removed with no residual, is not disqualifying.

Unfortunately the recruiter is correct. A waiver might be submitted but I have no clue on how far you'll get. I don't know how the other services would look at your situation.

[Guest DickMartin1]

Well...I got some good news from some guys over at airforceots.com...I confirmed it with the local recruiter. My cancer was a childhood cancer and is now considered cured. The AF does specifically say "childhood cancers now considered cured are eligible for a waiver." I talked to the recruiter and I now have to get all sorts of stuff from my doctor, but I am pumped I might get the chance!!

[Guest awfltdoc]

Well...I got some good news from some guys over at airforceots.com...I confirmed it with the local recruiter. My cancer was a childhood cancer and is now considered cured. The AF does specifically say "childhood cancers now considered cured are eligible for a waiver." I talked to the recruiter and I now have to get all sorts of stuff from my doctor, but I am pumped I might get the chance!!

Its good that your recruiter is going to give it a shot.

However, The folks at airforceots.com is refering to a quote from an Attatchment for which is for flying duty only (AFI 48-123v3). Since you are not a current aviator and not in the military at this time you will need to meet the requirments for Attatchment 2 and 3 in AFI 48-123v2 as I have posted above.

"Attachment 4

MEDICAL STANDARDS FOR FLYING DUTY

A4.1. Conditions listed in AFI 48-123V2, Attachment 2, Medical Standards for Continued Military

Service and AFI 48-123V2, Attachment 3, Appointment, Enlistment, and Induction apply. For conditions

listed in AFI 48-123V2, Attachment 2, ensure a MEB has been performed and final disposition

made prior to submission of a flying waiver request. When a crewmember receives care by a

non-flight surgeon provider, the member should be seen immediately by a flight surgeon for appropriate

aeromedical disposition. If a flight surgeon is not immediately available, the member will be

removed from flying duties until seen by a flight surgeon or the visit reviewed by a flight surgeon."

"A4.31.1.2. Malignancies. History, or presence of, malignant tumor, cyst or cancer of any sort.

Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas and carcinoma-in-situ of the cervix which have been

adequately excised (as evidenced by pathology report, or basal cell carcinoma which have been

treated by electrodessication and curettage by a dermatologist credentialed to perform this procedure),

are exempted from tumor board action, but are reported to tumor registry, and are not disqualifying.

Childhood malignancy considered cured may be considered for waiver on a

case-by-case basis."

Is the specific quote from attatchment 4.

The USAF Waiver Guide states (This only applies to aircrew):

The USAF aircrew waiver file lists eleven members with HD (Hodgkin's) in remission and nine received

waivers (8 of the 9 received FC II waiver). Although these numbers are small, the possibility of

returning to flying status after effective treatment of HD is good.

The USAF aircrew waiver file lists four members with NHL (non-Hodgkin's) in remission and all received

waivers (3 of the 4 received FC II waiver). Although these numbers are small, the

possibility of returning to flying status after effective treatment of NHL is good.

So, I never say never. But the first hurdle is getting the recruiter to give it a shot.

Edited September 28, 2007 by awfltdoc

[Guest DickMartin1]

I appreciate the answers. Thank you. The recruiter for the AF said he willing to try his best to get me in. He thought more than likely my case will have to go the the AF SG. He said from there, it is probably a 50/50 chance. I don't quite understand why that would DQ me. I am in excellent condition and health NOW. It has been 9 years. I would like to know the last time that has been revised. Cancer treatment has come a long way in the past 10 years. Are they taking this in to consideration?! I didn't realize that they posted the info for flying. I thought, if anything, that would be more strict than getting in to the AF. I guess not. Thanks for the posts.

[Guest awfltdoc]

Okay, understood. I am not the dude telling you not to give it a try. I am the dude letting you know there may be a crack in the door, although a very small crack.

It is like this, you are disqualified for military service in the AF period, dot.

The regulations spell out a waiver may be considered on a case by case basis for a "cured" childhood malignancy.

Now, what is going to happen is the AF will review your past medical history and determine what risk there is to accepting you into the AF. Both to the AF and to you. You didn't mention the type of lymphoma and what kinds of treatments you recieved to be in remission for 9 years (lymphoma can occur in adults as well). Questions like are you going to get lymphoma back? You mentioned "remission" in your first post. Are you at higher risk for some other type of malignancy due to the treatment you got for the Lymphoma? etc, etc.

I understand your fustration more than you may think. I hope you are successful and achieve your dreams.

[Guest DickMartin1]

Okay, understood. I am not the dude telling you not to give it a try. I am the dude letting you know there may be a crack in the door, although a very small crack.

It is like this, you are disqualified for military service in the AF period, dot.

The regulations spell out a waiver may be considered on a case by case basis for a "cured" childhood malignancy.

Now, what is going to happen is the AF will review your past medical history and determine what risk there is to accepting you into the AF. Both to the AF and to you. You didn't mention the type of lymphoma and what kinds of treatments you recieved to be in remission for 9 years (lymphoma can occur in adults as well). Questions like are you going to get lymphoma back? You mentioned "remission" in your first post. Are you at higher risk for some other type of malignancy due to the treatment you got for the Lymphoma? etc, etc.

I understand your fustration more than you may think. I hope you are successful and achieve your dreams.

I had a form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. I was 14 at the time. I underwent extremely intensive chemotherapy for a year. I am now considered cured since I am past the 5 year mark. My oncologist says that I am not any more likely than anyone else to get cancer now. My cancer was extremely reactive to the chemotherapy. Two weeks after I started, my doctor used my case in a presentation b/c how well my body reacted. I am now healthy and very active.

[Guest ponygal]

Does anyone know if precancerous cells found in the cervix will disqualify you from flight? Just found out that I had this recently and I'm pretty worried. It's easily treatable, but I don't know how the Air Force looks upon precancerous cells found in the body.

[Guest Silverback]

I was an aircrewman on the E-3 for six years. I developed a brain tumor and had it removed in 2004. Luckily it was in the motor function area of the right side of my brain. I have been unmedicated and have experienced no side-effects since everything settled down from the six months including the surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. I've been clean and have gone through a whole laundry list of tests that say I have recovered. The only blip on the EEG is said to be scarring.

In November 2004 I was placed on TDRL and then found fit for duty and taken off in April 2005. I was told I would be grounded for five years so when given the option to get out, stay in the AF, or go to the Reserves, I chose to get out to finish my degree with the understanding that I wanted to come back in once I graduated. The AF Surgeon General's office is the one that sent me the letter stating that I was fit for duty.

I graduated this past May, and it has now been six years since all of my treatments ended. I have been fighting tooth-and-nail to get back in for the past year, but recently a comment from the SG's office gave me some hope of getting back in when the lady saw the letter from 2005 saying I was declared fit for duty. Today however, the SG's office dropped a bomb and declared me disqualified for duty. I thought the fight was going to be getting the Class III back, not getting back in! Also, how is it that I can be declared fit for duty within months of my treatments ending and then being disqualified years later when I've taken the battery of tests that proved my recovery? Had I known this mess was in the pipeline I'd have stayed in!

Another question that comes to mind is since this wasn't head trauma, as the surgeon used a sharp knife and not a sledge hammer, so what is the basis for my surgery being classified as trauma?

Lastly, even though the SG has the final waiver authority, and they've disqualified me, I won't be giving up until the colonel, general, or whoever is in charge kicks me out of his office in the Pentagon. However I know there are more subtle and diplomatic methods of going about this. I'd appreciate some advice from anyone that has been in this boat before.

Thank you,

John

[Guest pilotbax]

Question

Wondering if a benign brain tumor 100% resected is DQ for pilot. There has been no further treatment and this occured during my enlistment in the AFReserves. Any response is appreciated.

[Masshole]

Question

Wondering if a benign brain tumor 100% resected is DQ for pilot. There has been no further treatment and this occured during my enlistment in the AFReserves. Any response is appreciated.

Here is the link to the waiver guide. The following is what I found on neurological tumors, but it does not make mention of brain tumors that have been removed:

CONDITION:

Neurological Tumors

I. Overview.

Primary tumors arising from within the meninges or the parenchyma of the brain and spinal cord are

common at all ages of life. Thirteen thousand new primary brain tumors were reported in 1993 in

the United States along with approximately 80,000 metastatic brain neoplasms. Spinal tumors are

only 25% as common as intracranial tumors. The most frequent location for all types of spinal

neoplasms is in the thoracic cord. In patients with brain tumors, headache is the initial symptom in

50% of patients and seizure is the initial symptom in 20% of patients.

II. Aeromedical Concerns.

Aeromedical concerns include: 1) seizures, 2) neurological impairment, 3) neuropsychological

impairment, and 4) risk of sudden neurological dysfunction (particularly in tumors of the spinal

cord).

III. Information Required for Waiver Submission.

Medical evaluation board (MEB) and tumor board recommendations, AFIP confirmation of the

histology and recent neurology consultation with supporting laboratory findings are required.

IV. Waiver Consideration.

Aircrew with tumors of the spinal cord may be granted a waiver provided there is no recurrence and

neurological sequelae are acceptable 5 years after therapy. Waiver may be granted for tumors of the

peripheral nervous system if there is no appreciable impairment of function. All tumors involving

the brain or meninges are disqualifying. The ACS has evaluated three individuals with tumors of

the peripheral nervous system. Two evaluees were diagnosed with Schwannomas of the lumbar

cord nerve roots and were granted waivers. The third evaluee was diagnosed with a neurilemmoma

of the left C6 cranial nerve root with a residual Horner's syndrome status post excision and was

granted a waiver. The ACS has evaluated four individuals with tumors of the central nervous

system other than acoustic neuromas. There were no waivers granted.

[Guest pilotbax]

Thanks for your help!

Got the final answer yesterday from the SG.... it is DQ no waiver.

Edited February 22, 2012 by pilotbax

[gorams5]

Anybody had any luck getting a waiver for melanoma? 

[Sim]

or sarcoma?