Colon Cancer

Colon cancer begins in the colon, the largest section of the large intestine, and most cases start as polyps, small growths in the colon lining that can turn cancerous over time. Researchers have spent years studying whether occupational asbestos exposure raises the risk of this disease, and Navy veterans with a history of shipboard exposure fall squarely within that research population. Asbestos Ships works with veterans in exactly this position, helping connect the research to what it might mean for their own case.

What the research has found

Multiple large-scale studies have looked at the relationship between asbestos exposure and colorectal cancer. A 2025 systematic review pulling together 144 studies found a pooled relative risk of 1.16 for colorectal cancer among workers with occupational asbestos exposure, a modest but measurable increase over unexposed populations.

Researchers have also gone looking for physical evidence, not just statistical patterns. In one study, asbestos fibers or asbestos bodies turned up in colon tissue from 14 of 44 asbestos-exposed workers diagnosed with colon carcinoma, while none of the 20 unexposed control patients showed the same.

Where sailors ran into asbestos

Older Navy ships were built with asbestos woven into nearly every system, prized for how well it resisted heat and fire. A few of the more common sources included the following.

• Insulation wrapped around pipes throughout the ship
• Cement, gaskets, and adhesives used in mechanical systems
• Flooring and other heat-resistant surfaces
• Materials disturbed during repairs, maintenance, or removal work

Shipyard workers faced this same exposure, which is why the VA calls out shipyard duty specifically as a recognized source of military asbestos contact, right alongside time spent aboard ship.

A diagnosis that can take decades to surface

Colon cancer tied to asbestos exposure rarely shows up right after service. Asbestos fibers settle into the body and can sit there for years, sometimes decades, before any related disease develops, so a veteran might not see a diagnosis until their 60s or 70s despite exposure happening much earlier in life.

That kind of delay makes military records the backbone of a claim rather than an afterthought. When decades separate service from diagnosis, detailed proof of where someone served and what they worked around often carries more weight than the diagnosis date itself.

What a claim needs to show

Because colon cancer isn't automatically presumed to be asbestos-related, the burden falls on the veteran to draw a clear line between their service and their diagnosis. Three things typically make up that case.

• Proof that asbestos exposure happened during military service, whether through job duties, duty station, or documented circumstances
• A confirmed diagnosis tied to that exposure
• A medical opinion linking the two together

The VA often orders its own exam to weigh in on that connection before ruling on a claim. It's also worth knowing that colon cancer has separate presumptive pathways under VA rules for ionizing radiation exposure and certain burn pit or particulate matter exposure, which work differently from the asbestos-based process described here and may apply to some veterans instead.

Rating an active colon cancer diagnosis

Colon cancer is rated under Diagnostic Code 7343, the VA's code for malignant neoplasms of the digestive system, which typically assigns a 100 percent rating for as long as the cancer is active or under treatment. That rating sticks around for six months past the end of treatment, at which point a required VA exam checks in on where things stand.

Should that exam turn up no recurrence, the rating shifts toward whatever residual effects are left rather than staying locked at 100 percent. In other words, a cancer diagnosis alone doesn't guarantee a lifetime rating once treatment wraps up.

What compensation looks like in 2026

The dollar amount tied to a rating scales with both the percentage assigned and how many dependents a veteran has. A few reference points for a veteran with no dependents this year include the following.

• 10 percent: $180.42 monthly
• 30 percent: $552.47 monthly
• 50 percent: $1,132.90 monthly
• 70 percent: $1,808.45 monthly
• 100 percent: $3,938.58 monthly

Dependents add more on top of ratings at 30 percent or above, bringing the 100 percent figure to $4,158.17 with a spouse, $4,085.43 with one child and no spouse, or $4,318.99 with both a spouse and one child. These 2026 figures took effect in December 2025, and none of it is taxed.

Where Asbestos Ships comes in

Without a presumptive condition to lean on, a colon cancer claim asks for more legwork than some other asbestos-related claims. That's where having someone in your corner makes a difference.

• Connections to VA-accredited representatives who take on these claims without an upfront fee
• Plain-language information about the kind of service and medical records that tend to strengthen a case
• Help tracking down your nearest VA regional office or medical center
• Referrals to legal resources if you're weighing options beyond the VA system too

A direct-connection claim carries a heavier paperwork load than a presumptive one, since nothing is assumed and everything has to be shown. Having someone who's worked through this process before can take a lot of that weight off your plate. 

Many veterans don't realize how much a well-documented service history can shift the outcome of a VA claim like this. Reach out and our team will walk through what your specific case might need.