Illinois Soldier Who Survived 3 Iraq Tours Dies From Cancer

[RamboLiberal]

http://ksdk.com/news/state/illinois/illinois_article.aspx?storyid=105506

Bloomington soldier who survived three tours in Iraq only to return home and find out he had just months to live has died.

U.S. Army Colonel Dirk Spanton died Friday of cancer of the liver bile ducts.

The illness was diagnosed shortly after the 51-year-old soldier returned home on Memorial Day after another tour of Iraq with the Special Forces.

Spanton's wife says her husband never understood why people kept calling him a hero as news of his illness spread. When he said he was only doing his job, Julie Spanton said she told him he was doing a hero's job.

The father of five had said he felt lucky despite the disease. He said he could have died in Iraq, but instead got a chance to say goodbye to his wife and five children.

RIP Colonel Spanton. Glad you had the chance to say goodbye to your loved ones.

[bluestateguy]

1. The 3 tours probably wore down his immune system

Maybe he still wouyld have gotten cancer, but you can't dispute that 3 wartime tours will weaken your ability to fight the disease.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. I don't think the depleted Uranium was of much help to him either. :^(

[Wretched Refuse]

10. Ya friggin think?

Bush's motto is:
"Support the Oops, Err, I mean troops"

[HuffleClaw]

3. cancer of the liver bile ducts ???

wow, that can't be common. poor fellow, nice that he had time for farewells though.

[AlCzervik]

14. some facts about bile duct cancer and the possible causes

Detailed Guide: Bile Duct Cancer
Do We Know What Causes Bile Duct Cancer?

While we do not know the exact cause of most bile duct cancers, researchers have found several risk factors that make a person more likely to develop bile duct cancer. There seems to be a definite connection between this cancer and anything that irritates the bile duct, whether it‘s chronic inflammation or infestation with a parasite.

Even when a person with bile duct cancer has one or more risk factors, it is not possible to be sure which if any risk factors actually caused the disease. And many people who do not have any apparent risk factors still develop this cancer.

Recently, scientists have begun to understand how risk factors produce certain changes in the DNA of cells, causing them to grow abnormally and form cancers. DNA is the genetic material that carries the instructions for nearly everything our cells do. We usually resemble our parents because they passed their DNA on to us. However, DNA affects more than our outward appearance. Some genes (parts of our DNA) contain instructions for controlling when cells grow and divide.

Genes that promote cell division are called proto-oncogenes. When they become abnormal in a cancer cell, they are called oncogenes. Genes that slow down cell division or cause cells to die at the appropriate time are called tumor suppressor genes.

It is known that cancers can be caused by DNA mutations (defects) that activate (turn on) oncogenes or inactivate (turn off) tumor suppressor genes. Some people inherit DNA mutations from their parents that greatly increase their risk for developing breast, ovarian, colorectal, and other cancers. However, inherited oncogene or tumor suppressor gene mutations are not believed to cause bile duct cancers.

Every time a cell prepares to divide into 2 new cells, it must duplicate its DNA. This process is not perfect and copying errors occur. Fortunately, cells have repair enzymes that proofread the DNA, but some errors may slip past. Some people may have faulty DNA repair mechanisms that make them especially vulnerable to cancer-causing chemicals and radiation. Acquired mutations may result from chronic inflammation in the bile duct. Oncogene and tumor suppressor gene mutations related to cancer usually develop during life. Several of these mutations have been found in bile duct cancers. This is different from inherited mutations, which are present before birth.
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_Do_we_know_what_causes_bile_duct_cancer_69.asp?rnav=cri

[truedelphi]

4. Something like 187 Thousand of

the six hundred thousand who served inside the Desert Storm arena are either dead
or seriously disbled.

Cancer of the liver bile ducts - could very well be related if not to DU (though there's a possibility there) but also to the unclean water the soldiers are given (despite
our paying tens of millions to Hallibruton to provide clean water for the troops)

[IndianaGreen]

5. Cancer Risk from Depleted Uranium Weapons

There is quite a bit of literature about the long-term effects of DU munitions dating back to the Gulf and Balkan wars.

Cancer Risk from Depleted Uranium Weapons in the Balkans

(last updated 1 Apr 2002)

Other cancers, in particular liver cancer, become relevant only years later, as can be seen on the following screenshot for the above parameters. It shows the "Probability of causation", that is the probability of a certain cancer that has been contracted being caused from the radiation dose.



http://www.wise-uranium.org/dbkcr.html

[thingfisher]

6. DU on DU

The horrible effects of depleted uranium munitions has yet to be acknowleged by the military and we should not expect it to be of course. The ceramic dust that results when a DU shell explodes stays in the air and on the ground and in the water for ever. The health effects on troops remains arguable due to the fact that the consequences often do not show up for years after the initial exposure. Cancer deaths among veterans will soar in the future.

The civilian effects are more obvious and immediate but get no acknowledgement from the military either, of course. Horrendous birth defects have risen dramatically in Iraq and the death toll for the whole population will continue to rise since the citizens have no choice but to live with exposure.

This is a story that deserves a lot more attention. Most weapons of mass destruction only kill once but DU keeps on killing ...forever.

[IndyOp]

7. Yep. I saw my neighbor's son in the park the other day...

He has gotten very good at controlling his motorized wheelchair and was way in front of his Mom on the paved pathway. He doesn't have arms - he has hands attached to his shoulders. His Daddy served in the Gulf War.

DU - A gift that keeps on giving.

:mad:

[Divernan]

12. I saw horrendous photos of Iraqi babies born after the 1st Gulf War

Babies with brains totally outside their skulls; babies with no faces, i.e., eyes, mouth or nose - just a sheet of skin; etc. It is outrageous that the media do not report this.

[heliarc]

8. It deserves more attention...

but the reason it doesn't is because of the current style of embedded journalism. The military disallows access for any agency that asks certain questions of the military. There have been hushed reports of intimidation as well when journalists even mention topics like DU.

[Haole Girl]

9. That's just sad

Very sad. :cry:

[EFerrari]

11. KIck

[lebkuchen]

13. I've met two young soldiers who have returned from Iraq with cancer

Vietnam vets are tracked to this day by the VA for signs of Agent Orange. The cancer today's redeployed soldiers are suffering from is manifesting itself a lot faster.