Listing code
13.22
Adult (Part A)
Body system
13.00
Cancer (malignant neoplastic diseases)
Subsections
5
Lettered criteria paths
Step in evaluation
3 of 5
Listing match approves the claim
SSA listing text and criteria
Urinary bladder -carcinoma .
Subsection A
With infiltration beyond the bladder wall. OR
Subsection B
Recurrent after total cystectomy. OR
Subsection C
Inoperable or unresectable. OR
Subsection D
With metastases to or beyond the regional lymph nodes. OR
Subsection E
Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
Source: SSA Blue Book listing 13.22. Last synced 2026-05-04.
Where claims under 13.22 usually fail
Many claims fail when the record shows urinary bladder carcinoma but does not clearly document the extent, such as infiltration beyond the bladder wall for subsection A. Another common failure is not having evidence that the cancer is recurrent after total cystectomy for subsection B, even if treatment happened years ago. Claims for subsection C can fail when 'inoperable' or 'unresectable' is mentioned informally without medical documentation tied to the ability to remove the tumor. For subsection D, claims often miss when there is no medical evidence showing metastases to or beyond the regional lymph nodes, and for subsection E when the small-cell (oat cell) type is not specified.
Medical evidence that strengthens this claim
For bladder cancer, SSA needs medical evidence that specifies the type, extent, and site of the primary, recurrent, or metastatic lesion. Operative procedures related to biopsy or needle aspiration generally require both the operative note and the pathology report. If operative and pathology documents cannot be obtained, SSA accepts a summary of hospitalization(s) or other medical reports, and these should include surgical findings and, when appropriate, pathological findings. In situations involving recurrence, persistence, progression, response to therapy, or post-therapeutic residual effects, additional longitudinal evidence may be needed, especially when distant metastases are present.
What happens if your records do not meet this listing
If the lettered criteria in 13.22 (A through E) are not met, the claim does not automatically end. In the next steps, SSA looks at the remaining functional abilities and limits in a residual functional capacity assessment. Based on that assessment, the claim is decided using the overall ability to do work, not just the diagnosis name.
Work activity and the SGA gate for this condition
For SSA disability claims, work activity can be allowed only up to the SGA earnings rules early in the process, before an approval. If 13.22 is met, the focus shifts to whether work is possible in a sustained way after the approved period begins, since the condition is tied to severe cancer features like infiltration beyond the bladder wall (13.22A) or metastases to or beyond regional lymph nodes (13.22D). For people approved after meeting the criteria, work attempts during trial work can occur, followed by an extended period of eligibility for continuing benefits.
Listing 13.22 FAQ
Questions that come up repeatedly for urinary bladder -carcinoma disability claims.