Listing code
13.09
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
Thyroid gland.
Subsection A
Anaplastic (undifferentiated) carcinoma. OR
Subsection B
Carcinoma with metastases beyond the regional lymph nodes progressive despite radioactive iodine therapy.
Subsection C
OR C. Medullary carcinoma with metastases beyond the regional lymph nodes.
Source: SSA Blue Book listing 13.09. Last synced 2026-05-04.
Where claims under 13.09 usually fail
One pitfall is submitting pathology or imaging that shows thyroid cancer but not showing the needed type in 13.09A (anaplastic/undifferentiated) or 13.09C (medullary). Another pitfall is missing the spread requirement in 13.09B or 13.09C, because the criteria are specifically about metastases beyond the regional lymph nodes, not just within them. A third pitfall is treating radioactive iodine results as enough by themselves; Subsection B requires that the metastases beyond regional lymph nodes be progressive despite radioactive iodine therapy. A fourth pitfall is providing only generalized statements like 'cancer is advanced' without medical evidence that specifies the type, extent, and site of the primary, recurrent, or metastatic lesion.
Medical evidence that strengthens this claim
SSA needs medical evidence that specifies the type, extent, and site of the primary, recurrent, or metastatic thyroid lesion for listing 13.09. If operative procedures were done (including biopsy or needle aspiration), SSA generally needs both the operative note and the pathology report. If those documents cannot be obtained, SSA can accept summaries of hospitalization(s) or other medical reports, but those summaries should include details of the findings at surgery and, when appropriate, the pathological findings. For 13.09B specifically, the record should also support that metastases beyond regional lymph nodes were progressive despite radioactive iodine therapy, meaning documentation of response and progression during that therapy.
What happens if your records do not meet this listing
Step 4 and Step 5 in the disability evaluation process look beyond the listing language when the exact criteria in 13.09 are not met. After Step 3, the next steps assess how the cancer and any post-therapeutic residuals affect functioning, using a residual functional capacity style analysis (functional limitations) rather than only the cancer label. Many claims that miss the listing at Step 3 still get decided at Step 4/5 based on the full functional picture and other evaluation factors, including how the impairments limit work activity.
Work activity and the SGA gate for this condition
At the start of an SSDI claim, work activity is still evaluated under SGA rules, meaning ongoing or substantial work performance can affect whether a claim moves forward. For thyroid cancer cases that fit 13.09 Subsection A, B, or C, the clinical picture implied by these criteria (especially metastases beyond the regional lymph nodes and, in 13.09B, progression despite radioactive iodine) often lines up with significant impairment, but the decision still depends on documented functional limits rather than the listing label alone. After an approval, the trial work period and then the extended period of eligibility apply to allow limited work testing while benefits continue, and those rules are what govern the shift from benefits to sustained work outcomes. A key point is that 13.09 itself focuses on cancer type and metastatic extent, while work rules focus on actual ability to do work.
Listing 13.09 FAQ
Questions that come up repeatedly for thyroid gland disability claims.