Listing code
13.05
Adult (Part A)
Body system
13.00
Cancer (malignant neoplastic diseases)
Subsections
4
Lettered criteria paths
Step in evaluation
3 of 5
Listing match approves the claim
SSA listing text and criteria
Lymphoma ( including mycosis fungoides, but excluding T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma- 13.06 ) . (See 13.00K1 and 13.00K2c .)
Subsection A
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, as described in 1 or 2: 1. Aggressive lymphoma (including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) persistent or recurrent following initial anticancer therapy. 2: Indolent lymphoma (including mycosis fungoides and follicular small cleaved cell) requiring initiation of more than one (single mode or multimodal) anticancer treatment regimen within a period of 12 consecutive months. Consider under a disability from at least the date of initiation of the treatment regimen that failed within 12 months. OR
- Aggressive lymphoma (including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) persistent or recurrent following initial anticancer therapy.
- Indolent lymphoma (including mycosis fungoides and follicular small cleaved cell) requiring initiation of more than one (single mode or multimodal) anticancer treatment regimen within a period of 12 consecutive months. Consider under a disability from at least the date of initiation of the treatment regimen that failed within 12 months. OR
Subsection B
Hodgkin lymphoma with failure to achieve clinically complete remission, or recurrent lymphoma within 12 months of completing initial anticancer therapy. OR
Subsection C
With bone marrow or stem cell transplantation. Consider under a disability until at least 12 months from the date of transplantation. Thereafter, evaluate any residual impairment(s) under the criteria for the affected body system. OR
Subsection D
Mantle cell lymphoma.
Source: SSA Blue Book listing 13.05. Last synced 2026-05-04.
Where claims under 13.05 usually fail
A frequent failure mode is using the wrong lymphoma category. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 13.05A is split into aggressive lymphoma (persistent or recurrent after initial anticancer therapy) and indolent lymphoma (needing more than one anticancer treatment regimen within 12 consecutive months), and those timing requirements matter. Another pitfall is missing the required transplantation pathway in 13.05C, which is specifically bone marrow or stem cell transplantation with evaluation until at least 12 months after the date of transplantation. A fourth pitfall is not distinguishing 13.05 from mantle cell lymphoma, which is placed in 13.05D rather than being treated as just a general "non-Hodgkin lymphoma" under 13.05A.
Medical evidence that strengthens this claim
Medical evidence must specify the type, extent, and site of the lymphoma, not just a generic statement of cancer. For procedures like biopsy or needle aspiration, SSA generally needs both an operative note and a pathology report. When those documents cannot be obtained, SSA can accept summaries of hospitalization(s) or other medical reports that include surgical findings and, when appropriate, pathological findings. In addition, SSA may need evidence about recurrence, persistence, progression, response to therapy, and any significant residuals, which are directly relevant to 13.05A (persistent or recurrent after initial therapy, or indolent lymphoma needing more than one regimen within 12 consecutive months) and 13.05B (failure to achieve clinically complete remission or recurrence within 12 months of completing initial anticancer therapy).
What happens if your records do not meet this listing
Steps 4 and 5 mean the decision still looks at the most recent medical picture and how it limits functioning, even if 13.05A through 13.05D is not met exactly. Residual functional capacity (RFC) is considered as part of the disability determination, alongside the ability to do work activities. For some claimants, the medical-vocational rules weigh heavily, especially once age becomes a factor, so even if a listing is not met, a decision can still be based on what can be done with the remaining limitations and the person's vocational profile.
Work activity and the SGA gate for this condition
Before a disability approval, the work activity rules apply in the same general way SSA uses for SSDI cases, and the question is whether work is at a level considered substantial before eligibility is established. After a favorable decision, work is evaluated under SSA's ongoing disability program rules, including the trial work period and extended period of eligibility. For lymphoma under 13.05, the listing criteria focus on treatment failure patterns (13.05A and 13.05B), and on bone marrow or stem cell transplantation with disability consideration until at least 12 months after transplantation (13.05C), after which any residual impairments are evaluated under the affected body system. The ability to work can change over time as treatment response changes, so work activity after approval can be affected by whether residual impairments are still present following the post-transplant time
Listing 13.05 FAQ
Questions that come up repeatedly for lymphoma ( including mycosis fungoides, but excluding t-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma- 13.06 ) disability claims.