Citation Nr: 21004286 Decision Date: 01/26/21 Archive Date: 01/26/21 DOCKET NO. 18-15 062 DATE: January 26, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for renal cell carcinoma is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran had active service from January 1967 to December 1970. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a February 2016 rating decision by a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). The Veteran testified before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge (VLJ) at a hearing in October 2020. A transcript is of record. This appeal has been advanced on the Board’s docket pursuant to 38 C.F.R. § 20.900. 38 U.S.C. § 7107 (a)(2). 1. Entitlement to service connection for renal cell carcinoma is remanded. Further development is necessary prior to adjudication. The Veteran was afforded a VA examination in December 2015 to address whether his renal cell carcinoma is related to herbicide agent exposure. The Veteran now asserts that his renal cell carcinoma is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. In support of his assertion, the Veteran submitted a copy of email correspondence from Dr. G.L. dated in November 2020. Dr. G.L. indicated that there is clinical data that supports some linkage between renal cell carcinoma and diabetes mellitus. He provided web addresses linked to two online articles (entitled History of Treated Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus and Risk of Renal Cell Cancer and The Role of Diabetes Mellitus in the Aetiology of Renal Cell Cancer). The Veteran also submitted a medical opinion from Dr. S.W. dated in October 2020. Dr. S.W. noted that the Veteran has diabetes, which weakens the immune system, which in turn make people more prone to cancer. Accordingly, the claim is remanded for an addendum medical opinion that addresses his recent contention and theory of entitlement to service connection. The matter is REMANDED for the following action: Obtain an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding whether the Veteran’s renal cell carcinoma is at least as likely as not proximately due to OR aggravated beyond its natural progression by his service-connected diabetes mellitus disability. The examiner is advised that two opinions- one addressing proximate causation and one addressing aggravation- are required. (Continued on the next page)   A fully explained rationale must be provided. In doing so, the examiner should review the October 2020 and November 2020 private medical evidence submitted by the Veteran and his representative, to include the two articles identified by Dr. G.L. D. JOHNSON Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board D. Lauritzen, Associate Counsel The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.