Listing code
13.10
Adult (Part A)
Body system
13.00
Cancer (malignant neoplastic diseases)
Subsections
5
Lettered criteria paths
Step in evaluation
3 of 5
Listing match approves the claim
SSA listing text and criteria
Breast (except sarcoma, 13.04 ) (See 13.00K4 .)
Subsection A
Locally advanced cancer (inflammatory carcinoma, cancer of any size with direct extension to the chest wall or skin, or cancer of any size with metastases to the ipsilateral internal mammary nodes). OR
Subsection B
Carcinoma with metastases to the supraclavicular or infraclavicular nodes, to 10 or more axillary nodes, or with distant metastases. OR
Subsection C
Recurrent carcinoma, except local recurrence that remits with anticancer therapy. OR
Subsection D
Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma. OR
Subsection E
With secondary lymphedema that is caused by anticancer therapy and treated by surgery to salvage or restore the functioning of an upper extremity. (See 13.00K4b .) Consider under a disability until at least 12 months from the date of the surgery that treated the secondary lymphedema. Thereafter, evaluate any residual impairment(s) under the criteria for the affected body system.
Source: SSA Blue Book listing 13.10. Last synced 2026-05-04.
Where claims under 13.10 usually fail
A frequent failure is missing the required pattern of spread. For example, subsection B requires specific lymph node findings (supraclavicular or infraclavicular nodes, 10 or more axillary nodes) or distant metastases, which is different from other types of lymph node involvement. Another pitfall is confusing recurrence with the exception in subsection C: recurrent carcinoma qualifies, except local recurrence that remits with anticancer therapy. People also sometimes overlook subsection E timing, which requires secondary lymphedema caused by anticancer therapy and treated by surgery to salvage or restore upper extremity functioning, with disability considered until at least 12 months after that surgery.
Medical evidence that strengthens this claim
SSA needs medical evidence that specifies the type, extent, and site of the primary, recurrent, or metastatic lesion for cancer under the 13.10 listing. For any biopsy or other operative procedure related to diagnosis, SSA generally needs both the operative note and the pathology report. When operative documents cannot be obtained, SSA can accept summaries of hospitalization(s) or other medical reports that include details of findings at surgery and, when appropriate, the pathological findings. In some situations, SSA may also need evidence about recurrence, persistence, progression, response to therapy, and significant residual effects when the claim depends on subsection C or D or the treatment-related complication described in subsection E.
What happens if your records do not meet this listing
If the exact 13.10 lettered criteria are not met, the claim proceeds to the remaining disability steps (step 4 and step 5) using an overall picture of functional limits instead of relying on 13.10 alone. The process considers residual functional capacity (RFC) and then evaluates whether work is possible given the person's limitations. Medical-vocational factors also play a major role in step 5.
Work activity and the SGA gate for this condition
SSA applies the work activity gate at the start of an SSDI claim, so sustained work activity can affect eligibility early on even if breast cancer is present. If approved under 13.10, eligibility continues based on the usual SSDI rules after the decision. For people whose case fits subsection E, disability is considered until at least 12 months from the date of the surgery that treated secondary lymphedema; after that time, any remaining impairments are evaluated under the criteria for the affected body system. Because 13.10 is triggered by specific cancer extent features like the spread to internal mammary nodes (subsection A), the lymph node counts and locations like 10 or more axillary nodes (subsection B), or recurrence patterns (subsection C), the medical findings that match those features are central to how the claim gets evaluated.
Listing 13.10 FAQ
Questions that come up repeatedly for breast (except sarcoma, 13.04 ) disability claims.