WingmanOpen the free toolsWingmanOpen the free toolsIf the VA already service-connected your prostate cancer (also called prostate cancer, prostate CA, prostate, prostate carcinoma), it can cause or worsen other conditions that are ratable on their own. These "secondary" claims are where many veterans leave money on the table. Below is what a service-connected prostate cancer commonly leads to, why, and what evidence each one takes.
A secondary claim only works if the primary condition (prostate cancer) is already service-connected, and you have a nexus — a doctor's opinion that it is "at least as likely as not" the cause. More on nexus letters →
Prostate cancer surgery, radiation, and hormone therapy very commonly cause ED. Even at a 0% rating, service connection unlocks tax-free SMC-K for loss of use of a creative organ.
What you'd need: An ED diagnosis, your treatment records (surgery/radiation), and a nexus opinion. No percentage rating is needed for SMC-K.
Leakage and frequent urination are common residuals after prostate cancer treatment and are rated on their own (often higher than the residual cancer rating once treatment ends).
What you'd need: Urology records and a description of pad use/frequency (voiding dysfunction is rated by how often you change absorbent material).
A cancer diagnosis and its aftermath commonly lead to secondary depression or anxiety that VA can service-connect.
What you'd need: A mental-health diagnosis and a nexus opinion linking it to the cancer experience.