Listing code
13.16
Adult (Part A)
Body system
13.00
Cancer (malignant neoplastic diseases)
Subsections
3
Lettered criteria paths
Step in evaluation
3 of 5
Listing match approves the claim
SSA listing text and criteria
Esophagus or stomach.
Subsection A
Carcinoma or sarcoma of the esophagus. OR
Subsection B
Carcinoma or sarcoma of the stomach, as described in 1 or 2: 1. Inoperable, unresectable, extending to surrounding structures, or recurrent. 2. With metastases to or beyond the regional lymph nodes. OR
- Inoperable, unresectable, extending to surrounding structures, or recurrent.
- With metastases to or beyond the regional lymph nodes. OR
Subsection C
Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
Source: SSA Blue Book listing 13.16. Last synced 2026-05-04.
Where claims under 13.16 usually fail
One pitfall is trying to fit stomach cancer into 13.16 without the listing's required extent details, like inoperable or unresectable tumor status, extension to surrounding structures, recurrence, or metastases to or beyond the regional lymph nodes. Another pitfall is treating "regional lymph nodes" as optional for the stomach criteria when Subsection B, item 2 specifically requires metastases to or beyond them. A third pitfall is assuming the esophagus criteria (Subsection A) require metastases or surgery details; Subsection A centers on diagnosis of carcinoma or sarcoma of the esophagus, while the stomach criteria are where the listing spells out the inoperable/unresectable or lymph node spread conditions. A fourth pitfall is missing the separate category for small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma under Subsection C, and instead trying to force it into the stomach inoperability or regional lymph node criteria.
Medical evidence that strengthens this claim
SSA needs medical evidence that specifies the type, extent, and site of the primary lesion (esophagus or stomach, plus carcinoma or sarcoma). For operative procedures such as a biopsy or needle aspiration, SSA generally needs copies of both the operative note and the pathology report. If those cannot be obtained, SSA will accept a summary of hospitalization(s) or other medical reports, and the evidence should include details of findings at surgery and, when appropriate, the pathological findings. If there is a need to show recurrence, persistence, progression, response to therapy, or significant post-therapeutic residuals, SSA may need additional evidence in some situations, particularly when applying cancer criteria that depend on whether disease is recurring or progressing.
What happens if your records do not meet this listing
If the specific 13.16 criteria do not match, the disability evaluation moves to the remaining steps by considering how severe the cancer-related impairments are in terms of functional limits, using the residual functional capacity (RFC) assessment. Many claims that do not qualify under the exact cancer listing still can be approved later based on overall functional limitations. For people over 50, the medical-vocational grids (along with RFC) play a larger role in the decision process.
Work activity and the SGA gate for this condition
Work activity can affect eligibility at the start of an SSDI claim, because substantial gainful activity (SGA) can disqualify a claim if work is at the SGA level. For this condition, the listing includes situations tied to tumor type (carcinoma or sarcoma of the esophagus under 13.16A; carcinoma or sarcoma of the stomach under 13.16B; small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma under 13.16C). If approved, the person generally enters the trial work period based on how work is tested under SSA rules, and continued eligibility for SSDI benefits can continue under the extended period of eligibility rules. After approval, the specific cancer severity reflected by criteria like inoperable, unresectable, extending to surrounding structures, recurrent, or metastases to or beyond regional lymph nodes (13.16B) is relevant to how well work matches the impairment level, even though the listing itself is the key
Listing 13.16 FAQ
Questions that come up repeatedly for esophagus or stomach disability claims.