Listing 13.02 · Cancer (malignant neoplasms)

Soft tissue cancers of the head and neck

To be approved under this listing, a claim must meet all of the criteria below — and the medical records have to prove it.

  1. A

    Documented diagnosis confirmed by biopsy or pathology.

    In plain terms: Has a doctor confirmed cancer of the head, neck, mouth, or throat?

    Evidence required:Biopsy reportPathology reportTreating physician report
  2. B

    Inoperable, unresectable, recurrent after surgery, or with metastases beyond the regional lymph nodes.

    In plain terms: Has the cancer spread to other parts of the body, or come back after treatment, or been called inoperable?

    Evidence required:Pathology reportCT scanPET scanTreating physician report
Read the official SSA text for Listing 13.02

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Estimate the odds

Historical approval rates for a claim like this — by state, age, and stage.

Approval odds by condition

How claims for this body system fare through the process.

Other cancer (malignant neoplasms) listings

Skin (sarcoma, melanoma)Soft tissue sarcomaLymphoma (including mycosis fungoides and primary central nervous system)LeukemiaMultiple myelomaBreastEsophagus or stomachSmall intestineLarge intestine (rectum, colon)Liver or gallbladder

Source: SSA Listing of Impairments (Blue Book), 20 CFR Part 404, Subpart P, Appendix 1 · Updated 2026-06-18. Criteria paraphrased for readability; see the official SSA text linked above. Not legal or medical advice — whether a specific medical record meets Listing 13.02 is an individualized judgment SSA makes on the evidence.