Listing code
113.09
Children (Part B)
Body system
113.00
Cancer (malignant neoplastic diseases, children)
Subsections
3
Lettered criteria paths
Step in evaluation
3 of 5
Listing match approves the claim
SSA listing text and criteria
Thyroid gland
Subsection A
Anaplastic (undifferentiated) carcinoma. OR
Subsection B
Carcinoma with metastases beyond the regional lymph nodes progressive despite radioactive iodine therapy.
Subsection C
OR C. Medullary carcinoma with metastases beyond the regional lymph nodes.
Source: SSA Blue Book listing 113.09. Last synced 2026-05-04.
Where claims under 113.09 usually fail
Submitting a diagnosis label like "thyroid cancer" without pathology information that matches Subsection A, B, or C can fail the listing. Missing the "beyond the regional lymph nodes" part is a frequent problem, especially when the documentation only describes lymph node involvement without showing spread beyond the regional lymph nodes. For Subsection B, relying on that the child received radioactive iodine is not enough; the record needs to show progression despite radioactive iodine therapy. Another pitfall is using operative or biopsy evidence that is incomplete, such as having only one of an operative note or a pathology report when both are generally needed for procedures like biopsy or needle aspiration.
Medical evidence that strengthens this claim
For cancers evaluated under this Part of 113.00, the needed medical evidence specifies the type, extent, and site of the primary, recurrent, or metastatic lesion. For procedures such as a biopsy or needle aspiration, the evidence generally needs a copy of both the operative note and the pathology report. When those documents cannot be obtained, summaries of hospitalization or other medical reports can be accepted, and these should include details of findings at surgery and, when appropriate, pathological findings. To match 113.09B, documentation needs not only metastases beyond the regional lymph nodes, but also that the cancer was progressive despite radioactive iodine therapy. To match 113.09A or 113.09C, documentation should clearly identify anaplastic (undifferentiated) carcinoma (Subsection A) or medullary carcinoma (Subsection C) and show the required metastatic extent beyond regional lymph nodes where required by the criterion.
What happens if your records do not meet this listing
If the criteria in 113.09 are not met, the claim still gets evaluated using the rest of the cancer process in this cancer body system. Step 4 weighs the medical effects and residual effects of the cancer and any post-therapeutic residuals, using the evidence that specifies type, extent, and site of lesions and how the condition has responded over time. If the cancer is metastatic, longitudinal evidence may be needed to show the extent, duration, frequency, and response to therapy, so incomplete timelines can slow approval even if the diagnosis later looks closer to the listing.
Work activity and the SGA gate for this condition
At the start of an SSDI claim for children under 18 (Part B), the evaluation focuses on whether the condition meets the specific cancer criteria in 113.09, including the thyroid cancer type and the metastatic extent beyond regional lymph nodes. If the cancer fits Subsection A, B, or C, the listing focuses on that specific thyroid cancer type plus the required spread and, for Subsection B, progression despite radioactive iodine therapy. If the criteria are not met, the analysis moves to how the cancer and any post-therapeutic residuals affect functioning, using the same core requirement for medical evidence that specifies type, extent, and site, and evidence about response to therapy when relevant.
Listing 113.09 FAQ
Questions that come up repeatedly for thyroid gland a disability claims.