Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 24, 2026

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Assessment of Carcinogen-induced Murine Bladder Tumors
Published on: March 29, 2019
Exploring exposure to Agent Orange and increased mortality due to bladder cancer
Matthew Mossanen1, Adam S Kibel2, Rose H Goldman3
1Division of Urological Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA.
Background:
During the Vietnam War, many veterans were exposed to Agent Orange (AO), a chemical defoliant containing varying levels of the carcinogen dioxin. The health effects of AO exposure have been widely studied in the VA population. Here we review and interpret data regarding the association between AO exposure and bladder cancer (BC) mortality.
Main Findings:
Data evaluating the association between AO and BC is limited. Methods characterizing exposure have become more sophisticated over time. Several studies support the link between AO exposure and increased mortality due to BC, including the Korean Veterans Health Study.
Conclusions:
Available data suggest an association with exposure to AO and increased mortality due to BC. In patients exposed to AO, increased frequency of cystoscopic surveillance and potentially more aggressive therapy for those with BC may be warranted but utility of these strategies remains to be proven. Additional research is required to better understand the relationship between AO and BC.
Related Concept Videos
Types of Toxins
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Cancer Prevention
Some...
Biological Effects of Radiation
Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer
Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity
Toxic Reactions: Overview
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...

