Listing code
13.04
Adult (Part A)
Body system
13.00
Cancer (malignant neoplastic diseases)
Subsections
2
Lettered criteria paths
Step in evaluation
3 of 5
Listing match approves the claim
SSA listing text and criteria
Soft tissue sarcoma.
Subsection A
With regional or distant metastases. OR
Subsection B
Persistent or recurrent following initial anticancer therapy.
Source: SSA Blue Book listing 13.04. Last synced 2026-05-04.
Where claims under 13.04 usually fail
People often fail 13.04 by submitting records that do not clearly document metastases as regional or distant for subsection A. Another common failure is assuming that treatment failure automatically proves recurrence, even when the medical record does not show persistent or recurrent disease after the initial anticancer therapy for subsection B. Some people also rely on diagnosis without the needed cancer details (type, extent, and site) that SSA expects for evaluating the primary, recurrent, or metastatic lesion. Finally, when key pathology or operative details are missing, the record may not include the findings SSA needs to evaluate what is actually present and where.
Medical evidence that strengthens this claim
Medical evidence needs to specify the type, extent, and site of the primary, recurrent, or metastatic lesion for this cancer evaluation under 13.04. For procedures like a biopsy or needle aspiration, SSA generally needs both the operative note and the pathology report. If those documents are not available, SSA can accept a summary of hospitalization(s) or other medical reports, but the summary should include details of surgical findings and, when appropriate, pathological findings. In situations involving subsection B, documentation of recurrence, persistence, or progression and the response to initial anticancer therapy is important because the qualifying pathway depends on whether disease continues or returns after therapy.
What happens if your records do not meet this listing
If 13.04 does not fit, SSA still evaluates the claim using the remaining steps of the disability process. Practically, that means the medical record may be assessed to determine what limitations remain (residual functioning) and whether the full course of cancer treatment and any post-therapeutic residuals lead to a qualifying level of disability. Some claims that miss a specific cancer listing can still be approved when the overall functional impact of the cancer and its residual effects meets the criteria in later steps, even if the exact lettered pathway in 13.04 is not met.
Work activity and the SGA gate for this condition
For SSDI, the work activity rules still apply before the cancer listing is considered, because working at the substantial level generally prevents approval even when a cancer diagnosis exists. After a favorable decision, work continues to be handled under SSA's ongoing disability framework, including the trial work period and the extended period of eligibility. The medical findings that track either regional or distant metastases under 13.04A, or persistent or recurrent disease after initial anticancer therapy under 13.04B, are the kinds of clinical situations that can coincide with an inability to sustain work activity. The trial work period and extended period of eligibility apply when entitlement is established, and the continued ability to work is then evaluated through SSA's standard process rather than through additional cancer-specific listing tests.
Listing 13.04 FAQ
Questions that come up repeatedly for soft tissue sarcoma disability claims.