Listing code
13.19
Adult (Part A)
Body system
13.00
Cancer (malignant neoplastic diseases)
Subsections
0
No lettered criteria
Step in evaluation
3 of 5
Listing match approves the claim
SSA listing text and criteria
Liver or gallbladder-- cancer of the liver, gallbladder, or bile ducts.
This listing has no lettered subsections. The diagnosis itself, supported by the medical evidence described in the body-system overview, is what SSA evaluates.
Source: SSA Blue Book listing 13.19. Last synced 2026-05-04.
Where claims under 13.19 usually fail
One common problem is missing the site requirement, such as having medical records that mention cancer but do not identify the primary, recurrent, or metastatic lesion as being in the liver, gallbladder, or bile ducts. Another pitfall is having partial information about extent, where records do not provide enough detail about how widespread the cancer is. A third failure mode is relying on imaging or a procedure report without the operative note and pathology report when those documents are available. A fourth issue is not submitting evidence about recurrence, persistence, progression, response to therapy, or significant post-therapeutic residuals when those points matter for the case.
Medical evidence that strengthens this claim
Strong evidence is medical documentation that specifies the type of cancer, the extent of involvement, and the site of the primary, recurrent, or metastatic lesion. If an operative procedure was done, SSA generally needs both the operative note and the pathology report (including findings at surgery and, when appropriate, pathological findings). When operative documents cannot be obtained, SSA accepts a summary of hospitalization(s) or other medical reports, as long as those documents include details of findings at surgery and any appropriate pathological findings. If the case involves recurrence, persistence, progression, response to anticancer therapy, or significant residual problems after treatment, include medical evidence addressing those points.
What happens if your records do not meet this listing
If the diagnosis cannot be matched to listing 13.19 using the required medical evidence (especially the site and extent of the lesion), the claim moves to the general step-by-step evaluation process. At that stage, SSA looks at the functional limits caused by the cancer and any post-therapeutic residuals, using the overall medical evidence to determine what work activities remain possible (often described as residual functional capacity). If the cancer is not considered disabling at the listing level, the decision can still turn on whether the person's overall functional limitations meet disability under the remaining steps.
Work activity and the SGA gate for this condition
At the start of any SSDI claim, SSA considers whether work activity is at the level considered substantial gainful activity, and if so, the claim is not approved regardless of listing 13.19. For people whose liver, gallbladder, or bile duct cancer is severe enough that the listing criteria are met based on documented diagnosis (type, site, and extent of lesion), the claim can be approved, and work after approval is generally evaluated under SSA's continuing disability rules. For cancer with distant metastases, SSA may not require the same kind of extended longitudinal evidence as other situations, but recurrence, persistence, progression, therapy response, and significant residual effects can still matter when present.
Listing 13.19 FAQ
Questions that come up repeatedly for liver or gallbladder-- cancer of the liver, gallbladder, or bile ducts disability claims.