---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 1720E"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "1720E"
heading: "Nasopharyngeal radium irradiation"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/1720E"
units:
  - "Part II — General Benefits"
  - "Chapter 17 — Hospital, Nursing Home, Domiciliary, and Medical Care"
  - "Subchapter II — Hospital, Nursing Home, or Domiciliary Care and Medical Treatment"
---

# §1720E. Nasopharyngeal radium irradiation

- (a) The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) may provide any [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) a medical examination, and [hospital care](/usc/38/1701.md?p=5), [medical services](/usc/38/1701.md?p=6), and [nursing home care](/usc/38/101.md?p=28), which the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) determines is needed for the treatment of any cancer of the head or neck which the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) finds may be associated with the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1)’s receipt of nasopharyngeal radium irradiation treatments in [active military, naval, air, or space service](/usc/38/101.md?p=24).
- (b) The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall provide care and services to a [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) under [subsection (a)](#a) only on the basis of evidence in the service records of the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) which document nasopharyngeal radium irradiation treatment in service, except that, notwithstanding the absence of such documentation, the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) may provide such care to a [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) who—
  - (1) served as an aviator in the active military, naval, or air service before the end of the [Korean conflict](/usc/38/101.md?p=9); or
  - (2) underwent submarine training in active naval service before January 1, 1965.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 105–368, title IX, § 901(a), Nov. 11, 1998, 112 Stat. 3360; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 926(a)(27), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3830.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2021—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “air, or space service” for “or air service”.