AnCan respectfully notes that it does not accept sponsored promotion. Any drugs, protocols or devices recommended in our discussion are based solely on anecdotal peer experience or clinical evidence.
AnCan cannot and does not provide medical advice. We encourage you to discuss anything you hear in our sessions with your own medical team.
AnCan reminds all Participants that Adverse Events experienced from prescribed drugs or protocols should be reported to the pharmaceutical manufacturer or the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). To do so call 1-800-332-1066 or download interactive FDA Form 3500, https://www.fda.gov/media/76299/download/.
All AnCan’s groups are free and drop-in … join us in person sometime!
Editor’s Pick: Making end-of-life arrangements with Veterans Affairs (VA). (bj)
Topics Discussed Making your end-of-life arrangements with Veterans Affairs (VA)—advanced directives, healthcare power of attorney, living will, do not resuscitate orders, internment, etc—to make things easier for your loved ones; researching relationship between high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease issues for disability claims; veteran with history of prostate cancer researching how to file a claim; TCE (trichloroethylene) exposure; how VA determines active treatment for prostate cancer; veterans benefits associated with disability ratings; Agent Orange exposure and dealing with recurrent prostate cancer; Veteran notified that his claim was downgraded to 10% while on Active Surveillance (AS).
Chat
TonyFig sent a chat · 9:23 PM
Have to run. Good meeting as usual
Mark WV sent a chat · 9:45 PM
G00D NITE GUYS
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 9:51 PM
veterans@ancan.org
AnCan is grateful to the following sponsors for making this recording possible: Johnson and Johnson, Bayer, Novartis, Myriad Genetics, Telix, Blue Earth Diagnostics, and Foundation Medicine.
AnCan respectfully notes that it does not accept sponsored promotion. Any drugs, protocols or devices recommended in our discussion are based solely on anecdotal peer experience or clinical evidence.
AnCan cannot and does not provide medical advice. We encourage you to discuss anything you hear in our sessions with your own medical team.
AnCan reminds all Participants that Adverse Events experienced from prescribed drugs or protocols should be reported to the pharmaceutical manufacturer or the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). To do so call 1-800-332-1066 or download interactive FDA Form 3500, https://www.fda.gov/media/76299/download/.
All AnCan’s groups are free and drop-in … join us in person sometime!
Editor’s Pick: C&P exam occurs after service-connection is established. (bj)
Topics Discussed Taking care of your final affairs with VA’s help; submitting a disability claim for chronic kidney disease; understanding that States offer different Veterans benefits; federal funds drying up for veterans with substance abuse issues; what is AnCan’s Veterans Speaking Freely?; preparing for a C&P exam while being treated for prostate cancer; range of motion issues with your back; C&P exam occurs for disabilities after a service-connection has been established; how does the VA decide when treatment ends for prostate cancer disability claims; using the VA’s travel system when you receive VA Healthcare.
Chat
Eric Baker – Lafayette sent a chat · 8:18 PM
It is the VA Form 10-0137 VA Advance Directive: Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and Living Will
AnCan – Rick sent a chat · 9:24 PM
Jumping off Gents …. be well and see you in 2 weeks. O&U
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 9:29 PM
Good Night Rick!
Dan Gifford, Pensaola, fl sent a chat · 9:35 PM
Heading out for the night. Thanks for everything, Jim.
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 9:35 PM
Good Night Dan
Eric Baker – Lafayette sent a chat · 9:36 PM
Me as well, thanks everyone! Have a good night!
Mark WV sent a chat · 9:37 PM
good Nite
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 9:37 PM
Good night, Eric and Mark
Bruce Schrimpf sent a chat · 9:45 PM
As always very informative! I appreciate your work on this! BDS
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 9:46 PM
captjim@ancan.org
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 9:46 PM
ancan.org/veterans
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 9:46 PM
veterans@ancan@org
AnCan is grateful to the following sponsors for making this recording possible: Johnson and Johnson, Bayer, Novartis, Myriad Genetics, Telix, Blue Earth Diagnostics, and Foundation Medicine.
AnCan respectfully notes that it does not accept sponsored promotion. Any drugs, protocols or devices recommended in our discussion are based solely on anecdotal peer experience or clinical evidence.
AnCan cannot and does not provide medical advice. We encourage you to discuss anything you hear in our sessions with your own medical team.
AnCan reminds all Participants that Adverse Events experienced from prescribed drugs or protocols should be reported to the pharmaceutical manufacturer or the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). To do so call 1-800-332-1066 or download interactive FDA Form 3500, https://www.fda.gov/media/76299/download/.
All AnCan’s groups are free and drop-in … join us in person sometime!
Editor’s Pick: Advocating for yourself is not easy, but it’s pays off! (bj)
Topics Discussed Dealing with an inconclusive or open to interpretation letter of support from your doctor; benefit of submitting a fully developed claim; submitting a VA claim for a secondary condition; importance of putting in the work—advocating for yourself is not as easy as we make it sound; verify all the evidence you submitted for your claim was considered; TERA assessed on each claim; converting military retirement benefits to Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC); updates on travel claims for medical appointments.
Chat
TonyFig sent a chat · 8:35 PM
what is an ACE exam?
Bob Schwartz U.S.N. Venice, FL. sent a chat · 8:37 PM
ACE=Acceptable Clinical Evidence. It is a records review only.
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 8:38 PM
https://www.va.gov/resources/va-claim-exam/
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 9:04 PM
@Mark – Well said!
Eric Baker – Lafayette, IN sent a chat · 9:04 PM
Have to go! Thank you everyone, see you next time!!
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 9:04 PM
Have a good evening, Eric!
Luther cowden sent a chat · 9:11 PM
Good night gentlemen, have to go.
Bruce Schrimpf sent a chat · 9:18 PM
Nice seeing all of you again, keep up the good fight!
Bruce Schrimpf sent a chat · 9:26 PM
The designations for “Armed Conflict” sound very broad indeed.
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 9:26 PM
veterans@ancan.org
Bob Schwartz U.S.N. Venice, FL. sent a chat · 9:26 PM
Another good mtg., have to go, see everyone next week.
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 9:27 PM
Have a good night, Bob!
AnCan is grateful to the following sponsors for making this recording possible: Johnson and Johnson, Bayer, Novartis, Myriad Genetics, Telix, Blue Earth Diagnostics, and Foundation Medicine.
AnCan respectfully notes that it does not accept sponsored promotion. Any drugs, protocols or devices recommended in our discussion are based solely on anecdotal peer experience or clinical evidence.
AnCan cannot and does not provide medical advice. We encourage you to discuss anything you hear in our sessions with your own medical team.
AnCan reminds all Participants that Adverse Events experienced from prescribed drugs or protocols should be reported to the pharmaceutical manufacturer or the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). To do so call 1-800-332-1066 or download interactive FDA Form 3500, https://www.fda.gov/media/76299/download/.
All AnCan’s groups are free and drop-in … join us in person sometime!
Editor’s Pick: C&P exams when you are 100% permanent and total. (bj)
Topics Discussed Establishing service connection is the hardest part of submitting a claim; C&P (compensation & pension) exams when you are 100% permanent and total; Community Care authorization needed to use Beneficiary Travel Self Service System (BTSSS); working with a VA C&P exam contractor; requesting IRS Form 1095-B from the VA; VA continues to reduce the backlog of claims; a couple of the members reported recently losing a friend and condolences were shared; be wary of unsolicited requests to consolidate your medical records.
Chat
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 5:33 PM
Beneficiary Travel Self Service System (BTSSS)
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 5:36 PM
BTSSS Portal https://dvagov-btsss.dynamics365portals.us/
TonyFig sent a chat · 5:48 PM
Does the VA send out tax forms for disability payments or are they only available electronically?
Mark WV sent a chat · 5:50 PM
There is no tax forms as your disability is tax free
TonyFig sent a chat · 5:51 PM
What about healthcare. this is from a VA newsletter Get your 2025 VA health care coverage tax form this January Your 1095-B IRS tax form shows proof that you had VA health coverage. Throughout January and no later than January 31, 2026, all VA health care beneficiaries will be able to electronically access their 2025 1095-B forms via their VA.gov account. Please note that VA will no longer automatically mail 1095-Bs to all Veterans. To request a paper copy by mail, please contact us at 877-222-VETS (8387) Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET.
Bruce Schrimpf sent a chat · 6:14 PM
Great discussion all! Happy New Year!
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 6:18 PM
Good night Bruce!
TonyFig sent a chat · 6:21 PM
VA-FSC Vendor File Request Form (10091) This form is used for claim electronic payment
TonyFig sent a chat · 6:22 PM
This can be completed online
Mark WV sent a chat · 6:28 PM
Good Nite
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 6:28 PM
Good night Mark!
Bruce Schrimpf sent a chat · 6:50 PM
Kaiser thing is VERY suspucious!
Bob Schwartz U.S.N. Venice, FL. sent a chat · 6:52 PM
This sounds like a SCAM!!!!
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 6:58 PM
ancan.org/veterans
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 6:59 PM
veterans@ancan.org
AnCan is grateful to the following sponsors for making this recording possible: Johnson and Johnson, Bayer, Novartis, Myriad Genetics, Telix, Blue Earth Diagnostics, and Foundation Medicine.
AnCan respectfully notes that it does not accept sponsored promotion. Any drugs, protocols or devices recommended in our discussion are based solely on anecdotal peer experience or clinical evidence.
AnCan cannot and does not provide medical advice. We encourage you to discuss anything you hear in our sessions with your own medical team.
AnCan reminds all Participants that Adverse Events experienced from prescribed drugs or protocols should be reported to the pharmaceutical manufacturer or the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). To do so call 1-800-332-1066 or download interactive FDA Form 3500, https://www.fda.gov/media/76299/download/.
All AnCan’s groups are free and drop-in … join us in person sometime!
Editor’s Pick: Considerations when sequeencing multiple VA claims. (bj)
Topics Discussed Pursuing Topic Exposure Radiation Exposure (TERA); claim denied for service connection; discussion about the Beneficiary Travel Self-Service System (BTSSS); filing a claim for radiation cystitis secondary to prostate cancer; submitting an intent to file by calling 1-800-827-1000 or submitting a VA Form 21-0966; sequencing multiple VA claims; be wary of phishing scams or imposters requesting your medical records.
Chat
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 8:43 PM
BTSSS = Beneficiary Travel Self-Service System System
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 8:45 PM
BTSSS Website https://dvagov-btsss.dynamics365portals.us/
Hank Zajic Springfield VA sent a chat · 8:56 PM
gotta run. Thank you Jim for hosting and Happy Holidays everyone! Hank
Jim Marshall, Veteran, Alexandria, VA sent a chat · 8:58 PM
Marshall-James@comcast.net.
Jim Marshall, Veteran, Alexandria, VA sent a chat · 8:59 PM
CaptJim@AnCan.Org
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 9:22 PM
I’m your long lost relative as well
AnCan – Boykin sent a chat · 9:26 PM
Happy Holidays everyone!
Is It OK to Take Supplements After a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis? by Stuart Jordan
We were recently asked by a newly diagnosed member of our group—who is preparing to begin treatment—about a dietary supplement he has been taking. His question had two parts: Could this supplement help with prostate cancer? And just as important, is it safe to keep taking it now?
It’s a fair question, and a very common one. Many supplements are marketed as supportive of prostate health, metabolism, or weight management, and it’s easy to assume they might be helpful during cancer treatment.
In my day job as publisher of the Wellness Letter, we often see how supplement claims outpace the science behind them. That’s why we rely on evidence-based research as the final word when exploring questions like these.
When we look closely at the research, the picture is clearer than the marketing suggests. So far, no dietary supplement has been shown in solid human studies to prevent, treat, or slow the progression of prostate cancer once diagnosed. Some supplements that once sounded promising haven’t held up in careful trials. Others affect lab markers, such as PSA, without improving outcomes that truly matter. In fact, some supplements—like high-dose vitamin E or selenium—have actually shown potential harm in trials.
Safety is just as important. Supplements and over-the-counter products can interact with medications, affect lab results, or interfere with how treatments work. This matters whether a man is on active surveillance, receiving hormone therapy, undergoing radiation therapy, or after treatment. Even products that seem harmless can complicate care if the medical team isn’t aware of them.
That’s why it’s essential to tell your doctors about every supplement and over-the-counter product you’re taking, not just prescriptions.
Instead of relying on supplements, focusing on overall health—through diet, physical activity, weight management, and addressing true deficiencies—offers a safer, better-supported path, especially when coordinated closely with your medical team.
