80_FR_28918 80 FR 28821 - Revised Medical Criteria for Evaluating Cancer (Malignant Neoplastic Diseases)

80 FR 28821 - Revised Medical Criteria for Evaluating Cancer (Malignant Neoplastic Diseases)

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 97 (May 20, 2015)

Page Range28821-28832
FR Document2015-11923

We are revising the criteria in parts A and B of the Listing of Impairments (listings) that we use to evaluate claims involving cancer (malignant neoplastic diseases) under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act (Act). These revisions reflect our adjudicative experience, advances in medical knowledge, recommendations from medical experts we consulted, and public comments we received in response to a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM).

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 97 (Wednesday, May 20, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 97 (Wednesday, May 20, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 28821-28832]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-11923]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

20 CFR Part 404

[Docket No. SSA-2011-0098]
RIN 0960-AH43


Revised Medical Criteria for Evaluating Cancer (Malignant 
Neoplastic Diseases)

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are revising the criteria in parts A and B of the Listing 
of Impairments (listings) that we use to evaluate claims involving 
cancer (malignant neoplastic diseases) under titles II and XVI of the 
Social Security Act (Act). These revisions reflect our adjudicative 
experience, advances in medical knowledge, recommendations from medical 
experts we consulted, and public comments we received in response to a 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM).

DATES: This rule is effective July 20, 2015.

[[Page 28822]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl A. Williams, Office of Medical 
Policy, Social Security Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, 
Baltimore, Maryland 21235-6401, (410) 965-1020. For information on 
eligibility or filing for benefits, call our national toll-free number, 
1-800-772-1213, or TTY 1-800-325-0778, or visit our Internet site, 
Social Security Online, at http://www.socialsecurity.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    We are revising and making final the regulations for evaluating 
cancer (malignant neoplastic diseases) that we proposed in an NPRM 
published in the Federal Register on December 17, 2013, at 78 FR 76508. 
Even though this rule will not go into effect until 60 days after 
publication of this document, for clarity we refer to it in this 
preamble as the ``final'' rule. We refer to the rule in effect prior to 
that time as the ``prior'' rule.
    In the preamble to the NPRM, we discussed our proposed changes and 
our reasons for making them. Since we are mostly adopting those 
revisions as we proposed them, we are not repeating that information 
here. Interested readers may refer to the preamble in the NPRM, 
available at http://www.regulations.gov.
    We are making some changes in this final rule based on the public 
comments we received on the NPRM. We explain these changes in the 
``Summary of Public Comments'' below.

Why are we revising the cancer listings?

    We developed this final rule as part of our ongoing review of the 
cancer body system. When we last revised the listings for this body 
system in a final rule published on October 6, 2009, we indicated that 
we would monitor and update the listings as needed.\1\
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    \1\ See 74 FR 51229.
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How long will this final rule stay in effect?

    We are extending the effective date of the cancer body system in 
parts A and B of the listings until 5 years after the effective date of 
this final rule. The rule will remain in effect only until that date 
unless we extend the expiration date. We will continue to monitor the 
rule and may revise it, as needed, before the end of the 5-year period.

Summary of Public Comments

    In the NPRM, we gave the public a 60-day comment period that ended 
on February 18, 2014. We received 15 comments. The commenters included 
national cancer advocacy groups, State agencies, a national group 
representing disability examiners in State agencies that make 
disability determinations for us, medical professionals, and individual 
members of the public.
    We carefully considered all of the significant comments relevant to 
this rulemaking. We have condensed and summarized the comments below. 
We believe we have presented the commenters' concerns and suggestions 
accurately and completely and responded to all significant issues that 
were within the scope of this rule. We provide our reasons for adopting 
or not adopting the recommendations in our responses below.

General Comments

    Comment: Many commenters supported our proposal to change the name 
of this body system from ``Malignant Neoplastic Diseases'' to 
``Cancer'' to make the name more recognizable to the lay public. 
However, some commenters believed this change was not necessary or 
appropriate. These commenters believed the lay public is sufficiently 
aware of the meaning of the term ``malignant neoplastic diseases'' and 
that we should continue using it as the body system's name. One 
commenter thought ``malignant neoplastic diseases'' is a more 
encompassing name for the body system than ``cancer.'' The commenter 
contended the term ``cancer'' has traditionally meant only carcinoma, 
and does not include sarcoma, leukemia, or malignancies in other cell 
types.
    Response: We disagree with the commenters' view that the lay public 
is sufficiently aware of the term ``malignant neoplastic diseases,'' 
and have adopted our proposal to change the name of this body system to 
``Cancer.'' We believe the lay public understands that the term 
``cancer'' means not only carcinoma but also the wide array of 
malignancies. The National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Cancer 
Society (NCS), and other recognized experts use the term ``cancer'' 
when referring to carcinoma, sarcoma, leukemia, lymphoma, and 
malignancies of the central nervous system in their publications.\2\
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    \2\ For example, see ``NCI Home'' at http://www.cancer.gov, and 
``American Cancer Society Home'' at http://www.cancer.org/index.
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    Comment: A commenter, who supported the proposed name change, 
recommended that we use the term ``anticancer therapy'' instead of 
``antineoplastic therapy'' in this final rule.
    Response: We agree with the commenter and have modified the 
listings accordingly.
    Comment: One commenter suggested we have only one listing for 
evaluating small-cell carcinomas rather than adopt our proposal to 
provide a criterion for small-cell carcinoma under several, specific 
listings.\3\
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    \3\ We retained prior listing 13.14B for evaluating small-cell 
carcinoma in the lungs and added a criterion for small-cell 
carcinoma under the following specific listings: 13.02D for soft 
tissue cancers of the head and neck; 13.10D for cancer of the 
breast; 13.15C for cancer of the pleura and mediastinum; 13.16C for 
cancer of the esophagus or stomach; 13.17C for cancer of the small 
intestine; 13.18D for cancer of the large intestine; 13.22E for 
cancer of the urinary bladder; 13.23F for cancers of the female 
genital tract; and 13.24C for cancer of the prostate gland. We 
include a listing for small-cell carcinoma of the small intestine, 
even though it is a very rare cancer, to maintain internal 
consistency among the regulations, and because of the cancer's 
unfavorable prognosis.
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    Response: We did not adopt the comment. Some small-cell carcinomas 
might be included under the single listing the commenter proposed, but 
may have favorable prognoses and not be of listing-level severity. 
These small-cell carcinomas have a favorable prognosis because 
physicians can detect them in their early stages when it is still 
possible to remove the cancer. The final listings cover small-cell 
carcinomas that occur in certain organs and tissues where physicians 
are unlikely to detect them in their early stages, and treatment is 
mainly palliative.
    Comment: One commenter suggested that we include the stage of the 
cancer in the final listings for evaluating central nervous system and 
cervical cancers, and lymphomas.
    Response: We did not adopt the comment for two reasons. First, the 
cancers mentioned by the commenter may have different staging systems 
that are inconsistent with each other. Second, staging systems could 
change, potentially resulting in an inability to find people with 
listing-level impairments disabled at the listing step of the 
sequential evaluation process.
    Comment: A commenter proposed we provide more guidance in part B 
for evaluating conditions in children, resulting from cancer or its 
treatment, that do not meet the listings. The commenter said such 
conditions might include organ dysfunction resulting from small-cell 
carcinomas, or secondary lymphedema resulting from breast cancer 
treatment. The commenter believed the additional guidance would make 
the final listings more comprehensive.
    Response: We did not adopt the comment because we believe final 
sections 113.00F and 113.00G already

[[Page 28823]]

provide the type of guidance the commenter recommended. In these 
sections, we explain that if a child has a medically determinable 
impairment that does not meet the listings, we will determine whether 
the impairment medically equals the listings. This determination would 
include impairments caused by the cancer or treatment side effects. If 
the impairment does not medically equal a listing, section 113.00F 
further explains that we will also determine whether the impairment 
functionally equals the listings. Again, this determination would 
include impairments caused by the cancer or treatment side effects.
    Comment: One commenter recommended we provide more guidance for 
evaluating treatment failure in bone marrow and stem cell 
transplantation, and proposed specific language for making this change.
    Response: We believe the change, and the specific language the 
commenter proposed, is not necessary because listings for bone marrow 
and stem cell transplantation have a criterion for evaluating any 
residual impairments following treatment. These residual impairments 
would include the evaluation of those associated with treatment 
failure.

Section 13.00E--When do we need longitudinal evidence?

    Comment: One commenter asked us to specify which sources can 
provide the evidence required in final section 13.00E3c to document 
that the treating source has started multimodal therapy under final 
listings 13.02E, 13.11D, and 13.14C. The commenter indicated that we 
should accept this evidence only from an acceptable medical source such 
as a medical or osteopathic doctor.
    Response: We did not adopt the comment because it may limit our 
ability to obtain evidence to determine if multimodal therapy has 
started and, thus, establish listing-level severity. While an 
acceptable medical source may provide this evidence, our existing 
policy allows us to accept evidence from other medical sources to 
establish the impairment's severity.\4\ For example, this evidence may 
come from sources we do not consider acceptable medical sources, such 
as oncology nurse practitioners who administer chemotherapy and 
radiation therapists who deliver radiation treatments.
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    \4\ See 20 CFR 404.1513(d) and 416.913(d).
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Sections 13.00I and 113.00I--What do we mean by the following terms?

    Comment: One commenter expressed concern over proposed sections 
13.00I6 and 113.00I5, in which we clarified that we consider a cancer 
to be ``progressive'' if it is still growing after the person has 
completed at least half of his or her planned initial anticancer 
therapy. The commenter believed this criterion might delay adjudication 
if the adjudicator must contact the treating source to ask how much of 
planned treatment the person has completed.
    Response: We did not adopt this comment. We disagree with the 
commenter because we do not expect adjudicators to obtain more 
information than we required under the prior regulations. The proposed 
and final sections express our intent to decide as quickly as possible 
that a person is disabled.
    Comment: The same commenter thought that the definition of the term 
``progressive'' could result in a finding that the claimant has a 
condition medically equivalent to cancer listings that do not require 
the malignancy to be progressive.
    Response: We do not share the commenter's concern because, as we 
explain in sections 13.00C and 113.00C, we will only apply the criteria 
in a specific listing to a cancer originating from that specific site.
    Comment: One commenter recommended that we revise the definition of 
``persistent'' cancer in final section 13.00I5. The commenter also 
provided language for the suggested revision.
    Response: We did not adopt the comment for two reasons. First, the 
language the commenter proposed could be misinterpreted to require that 
all of a person's anticancer therapy must fail to achieve a complete 
remission, including any second- or third-line therapies after initial 
anticancer therapy.\5\ This interpretation would be contrary to our 
intent in listings that require only the planned initial anticancer 
therapy to fail. Second, the language the commenter proposed would not 
explain the meaning of the phrase ``failed to achieve a complete 
remission.'' By defining this phrase, the final section clarifies that 
the cancer is ``persistent'' if any of it remains after treatment is 
completed, even if the cancer responded to the initial therapy and 
became smaller.
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    \5\ We may consider follow-up surgery to be a part of initial 
anticancer treatment if the intent of the follow-up surgery is to 
obtain clear margins and the complete eradication of any residual 
cancer left behind.
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    Comment: One commenter recommended that the definition of the term 
``unresectable'' in final section 13.00I8 address the presence of 
micrometastases. The commenter contended that ``unresectable'' should 
not include situations in which the surgeon removed the tumor and then 
used adjuvant therapy to eliminate any micrometastases.
    Response: We did not adopt the comment. We believe the commenter's 
proposed change is unnecessary. Final section 13.00I8 defines 
``adjuvant therapy'' as anticancer therapy given after surgery ``to 
eliminate any remaining cancer cells or lessen the chance of 
recurrence.'' These ``remaining cancer cells'' include micrometastases.

Sections 13.00K and 113.00K--How do we evaluate specific cancers?

    Comment: A commenter recommended that we add examples of common 
indolent lymphomas in final section 13.00K1a. The commenter also 
recommended that we add examples of common solid tumors in final 
section 113.00K3.
    Response: We did not adopt the comment. These recommendations 
appear to be administrative concerns better handled through training 
and operating instructions for our adjudicators.
    Comment: A commenter recommended that we create a listing for 
primary peritoneal carcinoma. The commenter argued that having a 
listing would be better than the guidance in section 13.00K7, in which 
we explained that we can evaluate this cancer in women under final 
13.23E for ovarian cancer, and evaluate it in men under 13.15A for 
malignant mesothelioma.
    Response: We did not adopt the commenter's recommendation that we 
create a listing for primary peritoneal carcinoma. Primary peritoneal 
carcinoma is very rare, and we do not usually provide listings for rare 
cancers. Instead, we believe the better practice is to clarify in the 
introductory text which listings to use to evaluate certain rare 
cancers, as we did in final section 13.00K7 for primary peritoneal 
carcinoma.
    Comment: A few commenters expressed concern about the clarification 
in proposed section 13.00K8 that excludes ``biochemical recurrence'' 
for evaluating recurrent cancer of the prostate gland in listing 
13.24A. In this section, we defined ``biochemical recurrence'' as an 
increase in the serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level following 
the completion of anticancer therapy. Section 13.24A requires 
corroborating evidence to document recurrence, such as radiological 
studies or findings on physical exam. Commenters believed this 
requirement might delay a finding

[[Page 28824]]

of disability and unfairly penalize people with prostate cancer. They 
noted that doctors frequently use PSA values to determine recurrence 
and may initiate anticancer treatment for recurrent cancer upon this 
evidence alone.
    Response: We agree that in some cases, an isolated PSA reading may 
support a diagnosis of recurrent prostate cancer, especially if this 
diagnosis is from an acceptable medical source and is consistent with 
the prevailing state of medical knowledge and clinical practice. 
However, we did not adopt the comments because we believe it is 
reasonable to require corroborating evidence to confirm the diagnosis. 
A rising PSA level alone does not necessarily mean prostate cancer has 
returned. Additional factors, such as the cancer's TNM \6\ 
characteristics, PSA kinetics, timing of the biochemical recurrence, 
treatment modality, and Gleason score, should be 
considered.7 8 The American Joint Committee on Cancer notes 
that the natural progression from biochemical recurrence to clinical 
disease recurrence is highly variable and may depend on these 
additional factors.\9\ In light of this variability and the other 
factors that should be considered, we continue to believe that we 
should exclude ``biochemical recurrence'' in listing 13.24A.
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    \6\ The acronym ``TNM'' relates to the Tumor size, lymph Node 
involvement, and presence of Metastases.
    \7\ PSA kinetics involves assessing the PSA level over time, 
such as measuring of its rate of change (velocity) and how long it 
takes it to double.
    \8\ The National Cancer Institute defines ``Gleason score'' as a 
system of grading prostate cancer tissue based on how it looks under 
the microscope (available at: http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary?CdrID=45696).
    \9\ See Carolyn C. Compton et al. eds., Cancer Staging Atlas: A 
Companion to the Seventh Editions of the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual 
and Handbook, New York: Springer, 2012, page 535-545.
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    Comment: One commenter recommended that we delete the parenthetical 
reference to ``benign melanocytic tumor'' in final sections 13.00K9 and 
113.00K6. The commenter claimed that citing a benign disease in the 
cancer listings may be confusing for adjudicators.
    Response: We did not adopt the comment because we believe the 
reference to benign melanocytic tumor can direct adjudicators to the 
appropriate body systems for evaluating this condition, Skin Disorders 
(8.00 and 108.00). This reference is similar to how final sections 
13.00K6c and 113.00K4c direct adjudicators to the appropriate body 
systems for evaluating benign brain tumors.

Listing 13.02--Soft Tissue Cancers of the Head and Neck (Except 
Salivary Glands--13.08--and Thyroid Gland--13.09)

    Comment: A commenter recommended revisions to 13.02E to condense 
the final listing significantly.
    Response: We did not adopt the comment because the proposed change 
might be misinterpreted to include any metastases in the head or neck 
from cancers originating elsewhere under listing 13.02E. Our intent in 
this listing is to evaluate cancers that receive multimodal therapy and 
originate in the head and neck only.

Listing 113.05--Lymphoma (Excluding All Types of Lymphoblastic 
Lymphomas--113.06)

    Comment: A commenter recommended that we include cerebrospinal 
fluid (CSF) findings as evidence for determining listing-level lymphoma 
under final listings 113.05A1 and 113.05B1.
    Response: We did not adopt the comment. It is not a standard 
clinical practice in lymphoma to conduct cerebrospinal fluid 
examination for analysis; therefore, we do not believe it is 
appropriate to require this evidence to establish severity. However, we 
will inform adjudicators, through training and operating instructions, 
that they can accept CSF findings if this evidence is available.

Listing 13.10--Breast (Except Sarcoma--13.04)

    Comment: One commenter asked how long adjudicators should defer 
adjudication of cases for evaluating breast cancer with secondary 
lymphedema resulting from anticancer therapy and treated by surgery to 
salvage or restore the functioning of an upper extremity under proposed 
listing 13.10E.
    Response: We disagree with the commenter's premise that 
adjudicators need to defer adjudication of these cases. Adjudicators 
can adjudicate a case at the listing step if the surgery is performed. 
The need for this surgery to salvage or restore functioning of an upper 
extremity demonstrates listing-level severity of the secondary 
lymphedema without the need to make a determination about the 
effectiveness of the surgery.
    Comment: A commenter recommended we add a listing that prescribes a 
period of disability of at least 18 months for people receiving 
multimodal therapy for breast cancer. The commenter noted that 
multimodal therapy could last 6 or more months and produce very serious 
adverse effects. The commenter also noted that it is common for us to 
find these people disabled after the listing step in the sequential 
evaluation process by taking into consideration the adverse effects of 
treatment and that the length of treatment nearly satisfies the 12-
month duration requirement. The commenter believed it would be better 
for us to make the determination of disability at the listing step.
    Similarly, a commenter recommended we add a listing that prescribes 
a period of disability of at least 18 months for people receiving 
multimodal therapy that includes surgery for low anal cancers and 
rectal cancers. The commenter noted that neoadjuvant chemotherapy or 
radiation followed by surgery to eliminate these anal or rectal cancers 
frequently takes at least 12 months to complete. The treatment may 
result in prolonged debilitation although the impairment may not meet 
or medically equal the listings.
    Response: We believe the commenter's proposed listing for breast 
cancer would cover many cases of early cancer. Most people with early 
breast cancer complete multimodal therapy within 6 months and recover 
from any adverse effects relatively soon. In these cases, the 
impairment would not preclude the ability to work for the required 12 
months.
    However, we agree with the commenter that in some cases multimodal 
therapy may take substantially longer than 6 months to complete. For 
example, very serious adverse effects may interrupt and prolong 
therapy, resulting in an active impairment lasting almost 12 months. It 
is a long-standing principle that we may make a finding of disability 
at the listing step if there is the expectation that an impairment that 
has been active for almost 12 months will preclude a person from 
engaging in any gainful activity for the required 12 months. We base 
this finding on the nature of the impairment; prescribed treatment; 
therapeutic history, including adverse effects of treatment; and other 
relevant considerations. Therefore, we partially adopted the comment by 
providing language in final section 13.00G3 to clarify that we can 
apply this principle to multimodal anticancer therapy for breast cancer 
and other cancers. We also added the clarifying language in final 
section 113.00G3 for children.
    We did not make changes to listing 13.18 for evaluating anal and 
rectal cancers. This listing and the commenter's recommendation for a 
new listing covering multimodal therapy with surgery for anal and 
rectal cancers

[[Page 28825]]

are outside the scope of this rulemaking. However, we believe the 
changes made in final section 13.00G3 partially address this 
commenter's concerns.

Listing 13.13--Nervous System

    Comment: One commenter recommended that we clarify in the 
introductory text whether adjudicators should use listing 13.13 to 
evaluate pituitary gland cancer in adults.
    Response: We adopted the commenter's recommendation by providing 
language in final section 13.00K6a and final section 113.00K4a in the 
introductory text clarifying that we evaluate cancerous pituitary gland 
tumors, for example, pituitary carcinoma,\10\ under final listing 
13.13A1 and final listing 113.13A, respectively.
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    \10\ Pituitary gland carcinoma is highly malignant. Treatment is 
mainly palliative. People who have pituitary gland carcinoma have a 
mean survival time of only about 2 years.
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    Comment: The same commenter expressed concern about the statement, 
in proposed sections 13.00K6b and 113.00K4b, that we consider brain 
tumors malignant only if they are classified as grade II or higher 
under the World Health Organization (WHO), ``Classification of Tumours 
of the Central Nervous System, 2007.'' The commenter asked how an 
adjudicator should evaluate central nervous system tumors graded under 
different classification systems.
    Response: We believe we have addressed the commenter's concerns in 
existing operating instructions that help adjudicators determine the 
WHO grade of specific brain cancers if a different grading system is 
used or if the medical evidence does not identify a particular grading 
system.\11\ These instructions also help adjudicators determine which 
grade to use when there are inconsistencies in the medical record, such 
as some medical evidence describing the tumor as grade II while other 
medical evidence describes it as grade III or grade IV.
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    \11\ Program Operations Manual System, available at: http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0424585001.
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Listing 13.23--Cancers of the Female Genital Tract--Carcinoma or 
Sarcoma

    Comment: A commenter recommended that we add criteria in final 
listing 13.23B3 to take into account a cancer's histologic diagnosis 
and the age of the claimant at onset.
    Response: We did not adopt this comment. We do not believe it is 
necessary to include such considerations in the listing because the 
prognosis is already poor for cervical cancer that meets the specific 
criteria of the listing. Considering the histological diagnosis would 
only confirm this prognosis, and the prognosis would remain poor 
regardless of a person's age.
    Comment: A national advocacy group for women with ovarian cancer 
recommended that we reinstate a listing we deleted in 2009. The listing 
covered ovarian cancer with ruptured ovarian capsule, tumor on the 
serosal surface of the ovary, ascites with malignant cells, or positive 
peritoneal washings. The commenter believed we find most women with 
this extent of disease disabled at later steps of the sequential 
evaluation process after the listing step or on appeal. The commenter 
also believed the adverse effects of cancer treatment might be 
disabling in themselves, especially for women whose jobs require 
significant exertion or do not allow time off for recovery from 
treatment.
    Response: We agree we could find a woman with the findings in the 
prior listing disabled after the listing step of the sequential 
evaluation process. We realize that adverse effects of ovarian cancer 
treatment may preclude a woman from working. However, we did not adopt 
the commenter's recommendation because many women with ovarian cancer 
that meets the specific criteria in the deleted listing would not have 
an impairment that precludes any gainful activity, which is the 
standard of severity in the listings.\12\
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    \12\ See sections 404.1525 and 416.925.
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Other Changes

    We made a number of editorial changes and technical corrections in 
the final rule to increase the clarity and consistency of the listings. 
For example, we redesignated proposed listing 13.05A3 for evaluating 
mantle cell lymphoma in adults as final listing 13.05D to make it a 
stand-alone listing consistent with stand-alone final listing 113.05D 
for evaluating mantle cell lymphoma in children. We also changed the 
parenthetical examples in prior sections 13.00H1 and 113.00H1 from ``at 
least 18 months from the date of diagnosis'' and ``at least 12 months 
from the date of diagnosis,'' respectively, to ``until at least 12 
months from the date of transplantation'' to make these adult and child 
sections consistent.
    Additionally, we redesignated proposed listings 13.29A3 and 
113.29A3 for evaluating mucosal melanoma as stand-alone listings 13.29C 
and 113.29C. We made this change because we determined, through our 
ongoing review of the scientific and medical literature, that mucosal 
melanoma carries a very poor prognosis and is of listing-level severity 
regardless of whether it is an initial disease or a recurrent disease. 
We also added examples of distant sites frequently affected by 
metastases from cutaneous and ocular melanomas in 13.29B3 and 113.29B3.

What is our authority to make regulations and set procedures for 
determining whether a person is disabled under the statutory 
definition?

    Under the Act, we have full power and authority to make rules and 
regulations and to establish necessary and appropriate procedures to 
carry out such provisions.\13\
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    \13\ Sections 205(a), 702(a)(5), and 1631(d)(1).
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Regulatory Procedures

Executive Order 12866, as Supplemented by Executive Order 13563

    We have consulted with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
and determined that this final rule meets the criteria for a 
significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866, as 
supplemented by Executive Order 13563, and was reviewed by OMB.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    We certify that this final rule has no significant economic impact 
on a substantial number of small entities because it affects only 
individuals. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis was not 
required under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, as amended.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This final rule does not create any new or affect any existing 
collections and, therefore, does not require OMB approval under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 96.001, Social 
Security--Disability Insurance; 96.002, Social Security--Retirement 
Insurance; 96.004, Social Security--Survivors Insurance; and 96.006, 
Supplemental Security Income).

List of Subjects in 20 CFR Part 404

    Administrative practice and procedure, Blind, Disability benefits, 
Old-age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Social Security.

    Dated: May 11, 2015.
Carolyn W. Colvin,
Acting Commissioner of Social Security.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, we are amending 20 CFR 
part 404 subpart P as set forth below:

[[Page 28826]]

PART 404--FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE 
(1950-)

Subpart P--Determining Disability and Blindness

0
1. The authority citation for subpart P of part 404 continues to read 
as follows:

    Authority:  Secs. 202, 205(a)-(b) and (d)-(h), 216(i), 221(a), 
(i), and (j), 222(c), 223, 225, and 702(a)(5) of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 402, 405(a)-(b), and (d)-(h), 416(i), 421(a), (i), 
and (j), 422(c), 423, 425, and 902(a)(5)); sec. 211(b), Pub. L. 104-
193, 110 Stat. 2105, 2189; sec. 202, Pub. L. 108-203, 118 Stat. 509 
(42 U.S.C. 902 note).


0
2. Amend appendix 1 to subpart P of part 404 as follows:
0
a. Revise item 14 of the introductory text before part A.
0
b. Amend part A by revising the body system name for section 13.00 in 
the table of contents.
0
c. Revise section 13.00 of part A.
0
d. Amend listing 13.02 of part A by revising the heading, revising 
listing 13.02B, removing listing 13.02C, redesignating listing 13.02D 
as new 13.02C, adding new listing 13.02D and revising listing 13.02E.
0
e. Amend listing 13.03 of part A by revising listing 13.03B.
0
f. Amend listing 13.04 of part A by revising listing 13.04B.
0
g. Amend listing 13.05 of part A by revising listings 13.05A1, 13.05A2 
and 13.05B, and adding listing 13.05D.
0
h. Amend listing 13.06 of part A by revising the first sentence of 
listing 13.06B1 and revising listing 13.06B2b.
0
i. Amend listing 13.07 of part A by revising listing 13.07A.
0
j. Amend listing 13.10 of part A by revising listings 13.10A and 
13.10C, adding the word ``OR'' after listing 13.10C, adding listing 
13.10D, adding the word ``OR'' after listing 13.10D, and adding listing 
13.10E.
0
k. Amend listing 13.11 of part A by revising listings 13.11B and 
13.11D.
0
l. Amend listing 13.12 of part A by revising listing 13.12C.
0
m. Revise listing 13.13 of part A.
0
n. Amend listing 13.14C of part A by revising the first sentence.
0
o. Amend listing 13.15 of part A by revising listing 13.15B2 and adding 
the word ``OR'' after listing 13.15B2, and adding listing 13.15C.
0
p. Amend listing 13.16 of part A by adding the word ``OR'' after 
listing 13.16B, and adding listing 13.16C.
0
q. Amend listing 13.17 of part A by adding the word ``OR'' after 
listing 13.17B, and adding listing 13.17C.
0
r. Amend listing 13.18 of part A by adding the word ``OR'' after 
listing 13.18C, and adding listing 13.18D.
0
s. Revise listing 13.19 of part A.
0
t. Amend listing 13.20 of part A by revising listing 13.20B.
0
u. Amend listing 13.22 of part A by adding the word ``OR'' after 
listing 13.22D, and adding listing 13.22E.
0
v. Amend listing 13.23 of part A by revising the heading, revising 
listings 13.23A3, 13.23B, 13.23C3, 13.23D2 and 13.23E, adding the word 
``OR'' after listing 13.23E, and adding listing 13.23F.
0
w. Amend listing 13.24 of part A by revising listing 13.24A, adding the 
word ``OR'' after listing 13.24B, and adding listing 13.24C.
0
x. Revise listing 13.25 of part A.
0
y. Amend listing 13.28 of part A by revising the heading.
0
z. Add listing 13.29 after listing 13.28 of part A.
0
aa. Amend part B by revising the body system name for section 113.00 in 
the table of contents.
0
bb. Revise section 113.00 of part B.
0
cc. Revise listing 113.03 of part B.
0
dd. Amend listing 113.05 of part B by revising the heading and listings 
113.05A and 113.05B, adding the word ``OR'' after listing 113.05C, and 
adding listing 113.05D.
0
ee. Amend listing 113.06 of part B by revising listings 113.06A and 
113.06B1.
0
ff. Amend listing 113.12 of part B by revising listing 113.12B.
0
gg. Revise listing 113.13 of part B.
0
hh. Add listing 113.29 after listing 113.21 of part B.
    The revised and added text is set forth as follows:

APPENDIX 1 TO SUBPART P OF PART 404--LISTING OF IMPAIRMENTS

* * * * *
    14. Cancer (Malignant Neoplastic Diseases) (13.00 and 113.00): 
July 20, 2020.
* * * * *

Part A

* * * * *

13.00 Cancer (Malignant Neoplastic Diseases)

* * * * *

13.00 CANCER (MALIGNANT NEOPLASTIC DISEASES)

    A. What impairments do these listings cover? We use these 
listings to evaluate all cancers (malignant neoplastic diseases), 
except certain cancers associated with human immunodeficiency virus 
(HIV) infection. If you have HIV infection, we use the criteria in 
14.08E to evaluate carcinoma of the cervix, Kaposi sarcoma, 
lymphoma, and squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal and anal 
margin.
    B. What do we consider when we evaluate cancer under these 
listings? We will consider factors including:
    1. Origin of the cancer.
    2. Extent of involvement.
    3. Duration, frequency, and response to anticancer therapy.
    4. Effects of any post-therapeutic residuals.
    C. How do we apply these listings? We apply the criteria in a 
specific listing to a cancer originating from that specific site.
    D. What evidence do we need?
    1. We need medical evidence that specifies the type, extent, and 
site of the primary, recurrent, or metastatic lesion. When the 
primary site cannot be identified, we will use evidence documenting 
the site(s) of metastasis to evaluate the impairment under 13.27.
    2. For operative procedures, including a biopsy or a needle 
aspiration, we generally need a copy of both the:
    a. Operative note, and
    b. Pathology report.
    3. When we cannot get these documents, we will accept the 
summary of hospitalization(s) or other medical reports. This 
evidence should include details of the findings at surgery and, 
whenever appropriate, the pathological findings.
    4. In some situations, we may also need evidence about 
recurrence, persistence, or progression of the cancer, the response 
to therapy, and any significant residuals. (See 13.00G.)
    E. When do we need longitudinal evidence?
    1. Cancer with distant metastases. We generally do not need 
longitudinal evidence for cancer that has metastasized beyond the 
regional lymph nodes because this cancer usually meets the 
requirements of a listing. Exceptions are for cancer with distant 
metastases that we expect to respond to anticancer therapy. For 
these exceptions, we usually need a longitudinal record of 3 months 
after therapy starts to determine whether the therapy achieved its 
intended effect, and whether this effect is likely to persist.
    2. Other cancers. When there are no distant metastases, many of 
the listings require that we consider your response to initial 
anticancer therapy; that is, the initial planned treatment regimen. 
This therapy may consist of a single modality or a combination of 
modalities; that is, multimodal therapy. (See 13.00I4.)
    3. Types of treatment.
    a. Whenever the initial planned therapy is a single modality, 
enough time must pass to allow a determination about whether the 
therapy will achieve its intended effect. If the treatment fails, 
the failure often happens within 6 months after treatment starts, 
and there will often be a change in the treatment regimen.
    b. Whenever the initial planned therapy is multimodal, we 
usually cannot make a determination about the effectiveness of the 
therapy until we can determine the effects of all the planned 
modalities. In some cases, we may need to defer adjudication until 
we can assess the effectiveness of therapy. However, we do not need 
to defer adjudication to determine whether the therapy will achieve 
its intended effect if we can make a fully favorable determination 
or decision based on the length and effects of therapy, or the 
residuals of the cancer or therapy (see 13.00G).
    c. We need evidence under 13.02E, 13.11D, and 13.14C to 
establish that your treating

[[Page 28827]]

source initiated multimodal anticancer therapy. We do not need to 
make a determination about the length or effectiveness of your 
therapy. Multimodal therapy has been initiated, and satisfies the 
requirements in 13.02E, 13.11D, and 13.14C, when your treating 
source starts the first modality. We may defer adjudication if your 
treating source plans multimodal therapy and has not yet initiated 
it.
    F. How do we evaluate impairments that do not meet one of the 
cancer listings?
    1. These listings are only examples of cancer that we consider 
severe enough to prevent you from doing any gainful activity. If 
your severe impairment(s) does not meet the criteria of any of these 
listings, we must also consider whether you have an impairment(s) 
that meets the criteria of a listing in another body system.
    2. If you have a severe medically determinable impairment(s) 
that does not meet a listing, we will determine whether your 
impairment(s) medically equals a listing. (See Sec. Sec.  404.1526 
and 416.926 of this chapter.) If your impairment(s) does not meet or 
medically equal a listing, you may or may not have the residual 
functional capacity to engage in substantial gainful activity. In 
that situation, we proceed to the fourth, and, if necessary, the 
fifth steps of the sequential evaluation process in Sec. Sec.  
404.1520 and 416.920 of this chapter. We use the rules in Sec. Sec.  
404.1594 and 416.994 of this chapter, as appropriate, when we decide 
whether you continue to be disabled.
    G. How do we consider the effects of anticancer therapy?
    1. How we consider the effects of anticancer therapy under the 
listings. In many cases, cancers meet listing criteria only if the 
therapy is not effective and the cancer persists, progresses, or 
recurs. However, as explained in the following paragraphs, we will 
not delay adjudication if we can make a fully favorable 
determination or decision based on the evidence in the case record.
    2. Effects can vary widely.
    a. We consider each case on an individual basis because the 
therapy and its toxicity may vary widely. We will request a specific 
description of the therapy, including these items:
    i. Drugs given.
    ii. Dosage.
    iii. Frequency of drug administration.
    iv. Plans for continued drug administration.
    v. Extent of surgery.
    vi. Schedule and fields of radiation therapy.
    b. We will also request a description of the complications or 
adverse effects of therapy, such as the following:
    i. Continuing gastrointestinal symptoms.
    ii. Persistent weakness.
    iii. Neurological complications.
    iv. Cardiovascular complications.
    v. Reactive mental disorders.
    3. Effects of therapy may change. The severity of the adverse 
effects of anticancer therapy may change during treatment; 
therefore, enough time must pass to allow us to evaluate the 
therapy's effect. The residual effects of treatment are temporary in 
most instances; however, on occasion, the effects may be disabling 
for a consecutive period of at least 12 months. In some situations, 
very serious adverse effects may interrupt and prolong multimodal 
anticancer therapy for a continuous period of almost 12 months. In 
these situations, we may determine there is an expectation that your 
impairment will preclude you from engaging in any gainful activity 
for at least 12 months.
    4. When the initial anticancer therapy is effective. We evaluate 
any post-therapeutic residual impairment(s) not included in these 
listings under the criteria for the affected body system. We must 
consider any complications of therapy. When the residual 
impairment(s) does not meet or medically equal a listing, we must 
consider its effect on your ability to do substantial gainful 
activity.
    H. How long do we consider your impairment to be disabling?
    1. In some listings, we specify that we will consider your 
impairment to be disabling until a particular point in time (for 
example, until at least 12 months from the date of transplantation). 
We may consider your impairment to be disabling beyond this point 
when the medical and other evidence justifies it.
    2. When a listing does not contain such a specification, we will 
consider an impairment(s) that meets or medically equals a listing 
in this body system to be disabling until at least 3 years after 
onset of complete remission. When the impairment(s) has been in 
complete remission for at least 3 years, that is, the original tumor 
or a recurrence (or relapse) and any metastases have not been 
evident for at least 3 years, the impairment(s) will no longer meet 
or medically equal the criteria of a listing in this body system.
    3. Following the appropriate period, we will consider any 
residuals, including residuals of the cancer or therapy (see 
13.00G), in determining whether you are disabled. If you have a 
recurrence or relapse of your cancer, your impairment may meet or 
medically equal one of the listings in this body system again.
    I. What do we mean by the following terms?
    1. Anticancer therapy means surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, 
hormones, immunotherapy, or bone marrow or stem cell 
transplantation. When we refer to surgery as an anticancer 
treatment, we mean surgical excision for treatment, not for 
diagnostic purposes.
    2. Inoperable means surgery is thought to be of no therapeutic 
value or the surgery cannot be performed; for example, when you 
cannot tolerate anesthesia or surgery because of another 
impairment(s), or you have a cancer that is too large or that has 
invaded crucial structures. This term does not include situations in 
which your cancer could have been surgically removed but another 
method of treatment was chosen; for example, an attempt at organ 
preservation. Your physician may determine whether the cancer is 
inoperable before or after you receive neoadjuvant therapy. 
Neoadjuvant therapy is anticancer therapy, such as chemotherapy or 
radiation, given before surgery in order to reduce the size of the 
cancer.
    3. Metastases means the spread of cancer cells by blood, lymph, 
or other body fluid. This term does not include the spread of cancer 
cells by direct extension of the cancer to other tissues or organs.
    4. Multimodal therapy means anticancer therapy that is a 
combination of at least two types of treatment given in close 
proximity as a unified whole and usually planned before any 
treatment has begun. There are three types of treatment modalities: 
surgery, radiation, and systemic drug therapy (chemotherapy, hormone 
therapy, and immunotherapy or biological modifier therapy). Examples 
of multimodal therapy include:
    a. Surgery followed by chemotherapy or radiation.
    b. Chemotherapy followed by surgery.
    c. Chemotherapy and concurrent radiation.
    5. Persistent means the planned initial anticancer therapy 
failed to achieve a complete remission of your cancer; that is, your 
cancer is evident, even if smaller, after the therapy has ended.
    6. Progressive means the cancer becomes more extensive after 
treatment; that is, there is evidence that your cancer is growing 
after you have completed at least half of your planned initial 
anticancer therapy.
    7. Recurrent or relapse means the cancer that was in complete 
remission or entirely removed by surgery has returned.
    8. Unresectable means surgery or surgeries did not completely 
remove the cancer. This term includes situations in which your 
cancer is incompletely resected or the surgical margins are 
positive. It does not include situations in which there is a finding 
of a positive margin(s) if additional surgery obtains a margin(s) 
that is clear. It also does not include situations in which the 
cancer is completely resected but you are receiving adjuvant 
therapy. Adjuvant therapy is anticancer therapy, such as 
chemotherapy or radiation, given after surgery in order to eliminate 
any remaining cancer cells or lessen the chance of recurrence.
    J. Can we establish the existence of a disabling impairment 
prior to the date of the evidence that shows the cancer satisfies 
the criteria of a listing? Yes. We will consider factors such as:
    1. The type of cancer and its location.
    2. The extent of involvement when the cancer was first 
demonstrated.
    3. Your symptoms.
    K. How do we evaluate specific cancers?
    1. Lymphoma.
    a. Many indolent (non-aggressive) lymphomas are controlled by 
well-tolerated treatment modalities, although the lymphomas may 
produce intermittent symptoms and signs. We may defer adjudicating 
these cases for an appropriate period after therapy is initiated to 
determine whether the therapy will achieve its intended effect, 
which is usually to stabilize the disease process. (See 13.00E3.) 
Once your disease stabilizes, we will assess severity based on the 
extent of involvement of other organ systems and residuals from 
therapy.
    b. A change in therapy for indolent lymphomas is usually an 
indicator that the therapy is not achieving its intended effect. 
However, your impairment will not meet the requirements of 13.05A2 
if your therapy is changed solely because you or your

[[Page 28828]]

physician chooses to change it and not because of a failure to 
achieve stability.
    c. We consider Hodgkin lymphoma that recurs more than 12 months 
after completing initial anticancer therapy to be a new disease 
rather than a recurrence.
    2. Leukemia.
    a. Acute leukemia. The initial diagnosis of acute leukemia, 
including the accelerated or blast phase of chronic myelogenous 
(granulocytic) leukemia, is based on definitive bone marrow 
examination. Additional diagnostic information is based on 
chromosomal analysis, cytochemical and surface marker studies on the 
abnormal cells, or other methods consistent with the prevailing 
state of medical knowledge and clinical practice. Recurrent disease 
must be documented by peripheral blood, bone marrow, or 
cerebrospinal fluid examination, or by testicular biopsy. The 
initial and follow-up pathology reports should be included.
    b. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). We need a diagnosis of 
CML based on documented granulocytosis, including immature forms 
such as differentiated or undifferentiated myelocytes and 
myeloblasts, and a chromosomal analysis that demonstrates the 
Philadelphia chromosome. In the absence of a chromosomal analysis, 
or if the Philadelphia chromosome is not present, the diagnosis may 
be made by other methods consistent with the prevailing state of 
medical knowledge and clinical practice. The requirement for CML in 
the accelerated or blast phase is met in 13.06B if laboratory 
findings show the proportion of blast (immature) cells in the 
peripheral blood or bone marrow is 10 percent or greater.
    c. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
    i. We require the diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia 
(CLL) to be documented by evidence of a chronic lymphocytosis of at 
least 10,000 cells/mm\3\ for 3 months or longer, or other acceptable 
diagnostic techniques consistent with the prevailing state of 
medical knowledge and clinical practice.
    ii. We evaluate the complications and residual impairment(s) 
from CLL under the appropriate listings, such as 13.05A2 or the 
hematological listings (7.00).
    d. Elevated white cell count. In cases of chronic leukemia 
(either myelogenous or lymphocytic), an elevated white cell count, 
in itself, is not a factor in determining the severity of the 
impairment.
    3. Macroglobulinemia or heavy chain disease. We require the 
diagnosis of these diseases to be confirmed by protein 
electrophoresis or immunoelectrophoresis. We evaluate the resulting 
impairment(s) under the appropriate listings, such as 13.05A2 or the 
hematological listings (7.00).
    4. Primary breast cancer.
    a. We evaluate bilateral primary breast cancer (synchronous or 
metachronous) under 13.10A, which covers local primary disease, and 
not as a primary disease that has metastasized.
    b. We evaluate secondary lymphedema that results from anticancer 
therapy for breast cancer under 13.10E if the lymphedema is treated 
by surgery to salvage or restore the functioning of an upper 
extremity. Secondary lymphedema is edema that results from 
obstruction or destruction of normal lymphatic channels. We may not 
restrict our determination of the onset of disability to the date of 
the surgery; we may establish an earlier onset date of disability if 
the evidence in your case record supports such a finding.
    5. Carcinoma-in-situ. Carcinoma-in-situ, or preinvasive 
carcinoma, usually responds to treatment. When we use the term 
``carcinoma'' in these listings, it does not include carcinoma-in-
situ.
    6. Primary central nervous system (CNS) cancers. We use the 
criteria in 13.13 to evaluate cancers that originate within the CNS 
(that is, brain and spinal cord cancers).
    a. The CNS cancers listed in 13.13A1 are highly malignant and 
respond poorly to treatment, and therefore we do not require 
additional criteria to evaluate them. We do not list pituitary gland 
cancer (for example, pituitary gland carcinoma) in 13.13A1, although 
this CNS cancer is highly malignant and responds poorly to 
treatment. We evaluate pituitary gland cancer under 13.13A1 and do 
not require additional criteria to evaluate it.
    b. We consider a CNS tumor to be malignant if it is classified 
as Grade II, Grade III, or Grade IV under the World Health 
Organization (WHO) classification of tumors of the CNS (WHO 
Classification of Tumours of the Central Nervous System, 2007).
    c. We evaluate benign (for example, WHO Grade I) CNS tumors 
under 11.05. We evaluate metastasized CNS cancers from non-CNS sites 
under the primary cancers (see 13.00C). We evaluate any 
complications of CNS cancers, such as resultant neurological or 
psychological impairments, under the criteria for the affected body 
system.
    7. Primary peritoneal carcinoma. We use the criteria in 13.23E 
to evaluate primary peritoneal carcinoma in women because this 
cancer is often indistinguishable from ovarian cancer and is 
generally treated the same way as ovarian cancer. We use the 
criteria in 13.15A to evaluate primary peritoneal carcinoma in men 
because many of these cases are similar to malignant mesothelioma.
    8. Prostate cancer. We exclude ``biochemical recurrence'' in 
13.24A, which is defined as an increase in the serum prostate-
specific antigen (PSA) level following the completion of the 
hormonal intervention therapy. We need corroborating evidence to 
document recurrence, such as radiological studies or findings on 
physical examination.
    9. Melanoma. We evaluate malignant melanoma that affects the 
skin (cutaneous melanoma), eye (ocular melanoma), or mucosal 
membranes (mucosal melanoma) under 13.29. We evaluate melanoma that 
is not malignant that affects the skin (benign melanocytic tumor) 
under the listings in 8.00 or other affected body systems.
    L. How do we evaluate cancer treated by bone marrow or stem cell 
transplantation, including transplantation using stem cells from 
umbilical cord blood? Bone marrow or stem cell transplantation is 
performed for a variety of cancers. We require the transplantation 
to occur before we evaluate it under these listings. We do not need 
to restrict our determination of the onset of disability to the date 
of the transplantation (13.05, 13.06, or 13.07) or the date of first 
treatment under the treatment plan that includes transplantation 
(13.28). We may be able to establish an earlier onset date of 
disability due to your transplantation if the evidence in your case 
record supports such a finding.
    1. Acute leukemia (including T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma) or 
accelerated or blast phase of CML. If you undergo bone marrow or 
stem cell transplantation for any of these disorders, we will 
consider you to be disabled until at least 24 months from the date 
of diagnosis or relapse, or at least 12 months from the date of 
transplantation, whichever is later.
    2. Lymphoma, multiple myeloma, or chronic phase of CML. If you 
undergo bone marrow or stem cell transplantation for any of these 
disorders, we will consider you to be disabled until at least 12 
months from the date of transplantation.
    3. Other cancers. We will evaluate any other cancer treated with 
bone marrow or stem cell transplantation under 13.28, regardless of 
whether there is another listing that addresses that impairment. The 
length of time we will consider you to be disabled depends on 
whether you undergo allogeneic or autologous transplantation.
    a. Allogeneic bone marrow or stem cell transplantation. If you 
undergo allogeneic transplantation (transplantation from an 
unrelated donor or a related donor other than an identical twin), we 
will consider you to be disabled until at least 12 months from the 
date of transplantation.
    b. Autologous bone marrow or stem cell transplantation. If you 
undergo autologous transplantation (transplantation of your own 
cells or cells from your identical twin (syngeneic 
transplantation)), we will consider you to be disabled until at 
least 12 months from the date of the first treatment under the 
treatment plan that includes transplantation. The first treatment 
usually refers to the initial therapy given to prepare you for 
transplantation.
    4. Evaluating disability after the appropriate time period has 
elapsed. We consider any residual impairment(s), such as 
complications arising from:
    a. Graft-versus-host (GVH) disease.
    b. Immunosuppressant therapy, such as frequent infections.
    c. Significant deterioration of other organ systems.
* * * * *
    13.02 Soft tissue cancers of the head and neck (except salivary 
glands--13.08--and thyroid gland--13.09).
* * * * *
    B. Persistent or recurrent disease following initial anticancer 
therapy, except persistence or recurrence in the true vocal cord.
* * * * *
    D. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
OR
    E. Soft tissue cancers originating in the head and neck treated 
with multimodal anticancer therapy (see 13.00E3c). Consider under a 
disability until at least 18 months from the date of diagnosis. 
Thereafter,

[[Page 28829]]

evaluate any residual impairment(s) under the criteria for the 
affected body system.
    13.03 Skin (except malignant melanoma--13.29).
* * * * *
    B. Carcinoma invading deep extradermal structures (for example, 
skeletal muscle, cartilage, or bone).
    13.04 Soft tissue sarcoma.
* * * * *
    B. Persistent or recurrent following initial anticancer therapy.
    13.05 Lymphoma (including mycosis fungoides, but excluding T-
cell lymphoblastic lymphoma--13.06). (See 13.00K1 and 13.00K2c.)
    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
    B. Hodgkin lymphoma with failure to achieve clinically complete 
remission, or recurrent lymphoma within 12 months of completing 
initial anticancer therapy.
* * * * *
OR
    D. Mantle cell lymphoma.
    13.06 Leukemia. (See 13.00K2.)
* * * * *
    B. * * *
    1. Accelerated or blast phase (see 13.00K2b). * * *
* * * * *
    2. Chronic phase, as described in a or b:
* * * * *
    b. Progressive disease following initial anticancer therapy.
    13.07 Multiple myeloma (confirmed by appropriate serum or urine 
protein electrophoresis and bone marrow findings).
    A. Failure to respond or progressive disease following initial 
anticancer therapy.
* * * * *
    13.10 Breast (except sarcoma--13.04). (See 13.00K4.)
    A. Locally advanced cancer (inflammatory carcinoma, cancer of 
any size with direct extension to the chest wall or skin, or cancer 
of any size with metastases to the ipsilateral internal mammary 
nodes).
* * * * *
    C. Recurrent carcinoma, except local recurrence that remits with 
anticancer therapy.
OR
    D. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
OR
    E. With secondary lymphedema that is caused by anticancer 
therapy and treated by surgery to salvage or restore the functioning 
of an upper extremity. (See 13.00K4b.) Consider under a disability 
until at least 12 months from the date of the surgery that treated 
the secondary lymphedema. Thereafter, evaluate any residual 
impairment(s) under the criteria for the affected body system.
    13.11 Skeletal system--sarcoma.
* * * * *
    B. Recurrent cancer (except local recurrence) after initial 
anticancer therapy.
* * * * *
    D. All other cancers originating in bone with multimodal 
anticancer therapy (see 13.00E3c). Consider under a disability for 
12 months from the date of diagnosis. Thereafter, evaluate any 
residual impairment(s) under the criteria for the affected body 
system.
    13.12 Maxilla, orbit, or temporal fossa.
* * * * *
    C. Cancer with extension to the orbit, meninges, sinuses, or 
base of the skull.
    13.13 Nervous system. (See 13.00K6.)
    A. Primary central nervous system (CNS; that is, brain and 
spinal cord) cancers, as described in 1, 2, or 3:
    1. Glioblastoma multiforme, ependymoblastoma, and diffuse 
intrinsic brain stem gliomas (see 13.00K6a).
    2. Any Grade III or Grade IV CNS cancer (see 13.00K6b), 
including astrocytomas, sarcomas, and medulloblastoma and other 
primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs).
    3. Any primary CNS cancer, as described in a or b:
    a. Metastatic.
    b. Progressive or recurrent following initial anticancer 
therapy.
OR
    B. Primary peripheral nerve or spinal root cancers, as described 
in 1 or 2:
    1. Metastatic.
    2. Progressive or recurrent following initial anticancer 
therapy.
    13.14 Lungs.
* * * * *
    C. Carcinoma of the superior sulcus (including Pancoast tumors) 
with multimodal anticancer therapy (see 13.00E3c). * * *
* * * * *
    13.15 Pleura or mediastinum.
* * * * *
    B. * * *
    2. Persistent or recurrent following initial anticancer therapy.
OR
    C. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
    13.16 Esophagus or stomach.
* * * * *
    B. * * *
OR
    C. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
    13.17 Small intestine--carcinoma, sarcoma, or carcinoid.
* * * * *
    B. * * *
OR
    C. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
    13.18 Large intestine (from ileocecal valve to and including 
anal canal).
* * * * *
    C. * * *
OR
    D. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
    13.19 Liver or gallbladder--cancer of the liver, gallbladder, or 
bile ducts.
    13.20 Pancreas.
* * * * *
    B. Islet cell carcinoma that is physiologically active and is 
either inoperable or unresectable.
* * * * *
    13.22 Urinary bladder--carcinoma.
* * * * *
    D. * * *
OR
    E. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
    13.23 Cancers of the female genital tract--carcinoma or sarcoma 
(including primary peritoneal carcinoma).
    A. * * *
    3. Persistent or recurrent following initial anticancer therapy.
    B. Uterine cervix, as described in 1, 2, or 3:
    1. Extending to the pelvic wall, lower portion of the vagina, or 
adjacent or distant organs.
    2. Persistent or recurrent following initial anticancer therapy.
    3. With metastases to distant (for example, para-aortic or 
supraclavicular) lymph nodes.
    C. * * *
    3. Persistent or recurrent following initial anticancer therapy.
    D. * * *
    2. Persistent or recurrent following initial anticancer therapy.
    E. Ovaries, as described in 1 or 2:
    1. All cancers except germ-cell cancers, with at least one of 
the following:
    a. Extension beyond the pelvis; for example, implants on, or 
direct extension to, peritoneal, omental, or bowel surfaces.
    b. Metastases to or beyond the regional lymph nodes.
    c. Recurrent following initial anticancer therapy.
    2. Germ-cell cancers--progressive or recurrent following initial 
anticancer therapy.
OR
    F. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
    13.24 Prostate gland--carcinoma.
    A. Progressive or recurrent (not including biochemical 
recurrence) despite initial hormonal intervention. (See 13.00K8.)
OR
    B. * * *
OR
    C. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
    13.25 Testicles--cancer with metastatic disease progressive or 
recurrent following initial chemotherapy.
* * * * *
    13.28 Cancer treated by bone marrow or stem cell 
transplantation. (See 13.00L.)
* * * * *
    13.29 Malignant melanoma (including skin, ocular, or mucosal 
melanomas), as described in either A, B, or C:
    A. Recurrent (except an additional primary melanoma at a 
different site, which is not considered to be recurrent disease) 
following either 1 or 2:
    1. Wide excision (skin melanoma).
    2. Enucleation of the eye (ocular melanoma).
OR
    B. With metastases as described in 1, 2, or 3:

[[Page 28830]]

    1. Metastases to one or more clinically apparent nodes; that is, 
nodes that are detected by imaging studies (excluding 
lymphoscintigraphy) or by clinical evaluation (palpable).
    2. If the nodes are not clinically apparent, with metastases to 
four or more nodes.
    3. Metastases to adjacent skin (satellite lesions) or distant 
sites (for example, liver, lung, or brain).
OR
    C. Mucosal melanoma.
* * * * *

Part B

* * * * *

113.00 Cancer (Malignant Neoplastic Diseases)

* * * * *

113.00 CANCER (MALIGNANT NEOPLASTIC DISEASES)

    A. What impairments do these listings cover? We use these 
listings to evaluate all cancers (malignant neoplastic diseases), 
except certain cancers associated with human immunodeficiency virus 
(HIV) infection. If you have HIV infection, we use the criteria in 
114.08E to evaluate carcinoma of the cervix, Kaposi sarcoma, 
lymphoma, and squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal and anal 
margin.
    B. What do we consider when we evaluate cancer under these 
listings? We will consider factors including:
    1. Origin of the cancer.
    2. Extent of involvement.
    3. Duration, frequency, and response to anticancer therapy.
    4. Effects of any post-therapeutic residuals.
    C. How do we apply these listings? We apply the criteria in a 
specific listing to a cancer originating from that specific site.
    D. What evidence do we need?
    1. We need medical evidence that specifies the type, extent, and 
site of the primary, recurrent, or metastatic lesion. When the 
primary site cannot be identified, we will use evidence documenting 
the site(s) of metastasis to evaluate the impairment under 13.27 in 
part A.
    2. For operative procedures, including a biopsy or a needle 
aspiration, we generally need a copy of both the:
    a. Operative note, and
    b. Pathology report.
    3. When we cannot get these documents, we will accept the 
summary of hospitalization(s) or other medical reports. This 
evidence should include details of the findings at surgery and, 
whenever appropriate, the pathological findings.
    4. In some situations, we may also need evidence about 
recurrence, persistence, or progression of the cancer, the response 
to therapy, and any significant residuals. (See 113.00G.)
    E. When do we need longitudinal evidence?
    1. Cancer with distant metastases. Most cancer of childhood 
consists of a local lesion with metastases to regional lymph nodes 
and, less often, distant metastases. We generally do not need 
longitudinal evidence for cancer that has metastasized beyond the 
regional lymph nodes because this cancer usually meets the 
requirements of a listing. Exceptions are for cancer with distant 
metastases that we expect to respond to anticancer therapy. For 
these exceptions, we usually need a longitudinal record of 3 months 
after therapy starts to determine whether the therapy achieved its 
intended effect, and whether this effect is likely to persist.
    2. Other cancers. When there are no distant metastases, many of 
the listings require that we consider your response to initial 
anticancer therapy; that is, the initial planned treatment regimen. 
This therapy may consist of a single modality or a combination of 
modalities; that is, multimodal therapy (see 113.00I3).
    3. Types of treatment.
    a. Whenever the initial planned therapy is a single modality, 
enough time must pass to allow a determination about whether the 
therapy will achieve its intended effect. If the treatment fails, 
the failure often happens within 6 months after treatment starts, 
and there will often be a change in the treatment regimen.
    b. Whenever the initial planned therapy is multimodal, we 
usually cannot make a determination about the effectiveness of the 
therapy until we can determine the effects of all the planned 
modalities. In some cases, we may need to defer adjudication until 
we can assess the effectiveness of therapy. However, we do not need 
to defer adjudication to determine whether the therapy will achieve 
its intended effect if we can make a fully favorable determination 
or decision based on the length and effects of therapy, or the 
residuals of the cancer or therapy (see 113.00G).
    F. How do we evaluate impairments that do not meet one of the 
cancer listings?
    1. These listings are only examples of cancers that we consider 
severe enough to result in marked and severe functional limitations. 
If your severe impairment(s) does not meet the criteria of any of 
these listings, we must also consider whether you have an 
impairment(s) that meets the criteria of a listing in another body 
system.
    2. If you have a severe medically determinable impairment(s) 
that does not meet a listing, we will determine whether your 
impairment(s) medically equals a listing. (See Sec. Sec.  404.1526 
and 416.926 of this chapter.) If your impairment(s) does not meet or 
medically equal a listing, we will also consider whether you have an 
impairment(s) that functionally equals the listings. (See Sec.  
416.926a of this chapter.) We use the rules in Sec.  416.994a of 
this chapter when we decide whether you continue to be disabled.
    G. How do we consider the effects of anticancer therapy?
    1. How we consider the effects of anticancer therapy under the 
listings. In many cases, cancers meet listing criteria only if the 
therapy is not effective and the cancer persists, progresses, or 
recurs. However, as explained in the following paragraphs, we will 
not delay adjudication if we can make a fully favorable 
determination or decision based on the evidence in the case record.
    2. Effects can vary widely.
    a. We consider each case on an individual basis because the 
therapy and its toxicity may vary widely. We will request a specific 
description of the therapy, including these items:
    i. Drugs given.
    ii. Dosage.
    iii. Frequency of drug administration.
    iv. Plans for continued drug administration.
    v. Extent of surgery.
    vi. Schedule and fields of radiation therapy.
    b. We will also request a description of the complications or 
adverse effects of therapy, such as the following:
    i. Continuing gastrointestinal symptoms.
    ii. Persistent weakness.
    iii. Neurological complications.
    iv. Cardiovascular complications.
    v. Reactive mental disorders.
    3. Effects of therapy may change. The severity of the adverse 
effects of anticancer therapy may change during treatment; 
therefore, enough time must pass to allow us to evaluate the 
therapy's effect. The residual effects of treatment are temporary in 
most instances; however, on occasion, the effects may be disabling 
for a consecutive period of at least 12 months. In some situations, 
very serious adverse effects may interrupt and prolong multimodal 
anticancer therapy for a continuous period of almost 12 months. In 
these situations, we may determine there is an expectation that your 
impairment will preclude you from engaging in any age-appropriate 
activities for at least 12 months.
    4. When the initial anticancer therapy is effective. We evaluate 
any post-therapeutic residual impairment(s) not included in these 
listings under the criteria for the affected body system. We must 
consider any complications of therapy. When the residual 
impairment(s) does not meet a listing, we must consider whether it 
medically equals a listing, or, as appropriate, functionally equals 
the listings.
    H. How long do we consider your impairment to be disabling?
    1. In some listings, we specify that we will consider your 
impairment to be disabling until a particular point in time (for 
example, until at least 12 months from the date of transplantation). 
We may consider your impairment to be disabling beyond this point 
when the medical and other evidence justifies it.
    2. When a listing does not contain such a specification, we will 
consider an impairment(s) that meets or medically equals a listing 
in this body system to be disabling until at least 3 years after 
onset of complete remission. When the impairment(s) has been in 
complete remission for at least 3 years, that is, the original tumor 
or a recurrence (or relapse) and any metastases have not been 
evident for at least 3 years, the impairment(s) will no longer meet 
or medically equal the criteria of a listing in this body system.
    3. Following the appropriate period, we will consider any 
residuals, including residuals of the cancer or therapy (see 
113.00G), in determining whether you are disabled. If you have a 
recurrence or relapse of your cancer, your impairment may meet or 
medically equal one of the listings in this body system again.
    I. What do we mean by the following terms?

[[Page 28831]]

    1. Anticancer therapy means surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, 
hormones, immunotherapy, or bone marrow or stem cell 
transplantation. When we refer to surgery as an anticancer 
treatment, we mean surgical excision for treatment, not for 
diagnostic purposes.
    2. Metastases means the spread of cancer cells by blood, lymph, 
or other body fluid. This term does not include the spread of cancer 
cells by direct extension of the cancer to other tissues or organs.
    3. Multimodal therapy means anticancer therapy that is a 
combination of at least two types of treatment given in close 
proximity as a unified whole and usually planned before any 
treatment has begun. There are three types of treatment modalities: 
Surgery, radiation, and systemic drug therapy (chemotherapy, hormone 
therapy, and immunotherapy or biological modifier therapy). Examples 
of multimodal therapy include:
    a. Surgery followed by chemotherapy or radiation.
    b. Chemotherapy followed by surgery.
    c. Chemotherapy and concurrent radiation.
    4. Persistent means the planned initial anticancer therapy 
failed to achieve a complete remission of your cancer; that is, your 
cancer is evident, even if smaller, after the therapy has ended.
    5. Progressive means the cancer becomes more extensive after 
treatment; that is, there is evidence that your cancer is growing 
after you have completed at least half of your planned initial 
anticancer therapy.
    6. Recurrent or relapse means the cancer that was in complete 
remission or entirely removed by surgery has returned.
    J. Can we establish the existence of a disabling impairment 
prior to the date of the evidence that shows the cancer satisfies 
the criteria of a listing? Yes. We will consider factors such as:
    1. The type of cancer and its location.
    2. The extent of involvement when the cancer was first 
demonstrated.
    3. Your symptoms.
    K. How do we evaluate specific cancers?
    1. Lymphoma.
    a. We provide criteria for evaluating lymphomas that are 
disseminated or have not responded to anticancer therapy in 113.05.
    b. Lymphoblastic lymphoma is treated with leukemia-based 
protocols, so we evaluate this type of cancer under 113.06.
    2. Leukemia.
    a. Acute leukemia. The initial diagnosis of acute leukemia, 
including the accelerated or blast phase of chronic myelogenous 
(granulocytic) leukemia, is based on definitive bone marrow 
examination. Additional diagnostic information is based on 
chromosomal analysis, cytochemical and surface marker studies on the 
abnormal cells, or other methods consistent with the prevailing 
state of medical knowledge and clinical practice. Recurrent disease 
must be documented by peripheral blood, bone marrow, or 
cerebrospinal fluid examination, or by testicular biopsy. The 
initial and follow-up pathology reports should be included.
    b. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). We need a diagnosis of 
CML based on documented granulocytosis, including immature forms 
such as differentiated or undifferentiated myelocytes and 
myeloblasts, and a chromosomal analysis that demonstrates the 
Philadelphia chromosome. In the absence of a chromosomal analysis, 
or if the Philadelphia chromosome is not present, the diagnosis may 
be made by other methods consistent with the prevailing state of 
medical knowledge and clinical practice. The requirement for CML in 
the accelerated or blast phase is met in 113.06B if laboratory 
findings show the proportion of blast (immature) cells in the 
peripheral blood or bone marrow is 10 percent or greater.
    c. Juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia (JCML). JCML is a rare, 
Philadelphia-chromosome-negative childhood leukemia that is 
aggressive and clinically similar to acute myelogenous leukemia. We 
evaluate JCML under 113.06A.
    d. Elevated white cell count. In cases of chronic leukemia 
(either myelogenous or lymphocytic), an elevated white cell count, 
in itself, is not a factor in determining the severity of the 
impairment.
    3. Malignant solid tumors. The tumors we consider under 113.03 
include the histiocytosis syndromes except for solitary eosinophilic 
granuloma. We do not evaluate thyroid cancer (see 113.09), 
retinoblastomas (see 113.12), primary central nervous system (CNS) 
cancers (see 113.13), neuroblastomas (see 113.21), or malignant 
melanoma (see 113.29) under this listing.
    4. Primary central nervous system (CNS) cancers. We use the 
criteria in 113.13 to evaluate cancers that originate within the CNS 
(that is, brain and spinal cord cancers).
    a. The CNS cancers listed in 113.13A are highly malignant and 
respond poorly to treatment, and therefore we do not require 
additional criteria to evaluate them. We do not list pituitary gland 
cancer (for example, pituitary gland carcinoma) in 113.13A, although 
this CNS cancer is highly malignant and responds poorly to 
treatment. We evaluate pituitary gland cancer under 113.13A and do 
not require additional criteria to evaluate it.
    b. We consider a CNS tumor to be malignant if it is classified 
as Grade II, Grade III, or Grade IV under the World Health 
Organization (WHO) classification of tumors of the CNS (WHO 
Classification of Tumours of the Central Nervous System, 2007).
    c. We evaluate benign (for example, WHO Grade I) CNS tumors 
under 111.05. We evaluate metastasized CNS cancers from non-CNS 
sites under the primary cancers (see 113.00C). We evaluate any 
complications of CNS cancers, such as resultant neurological or 
psychological impairments, under the criteria for the affected body 
system.
    5. Retinoblastoma. The treatment for bilateral retinoblastoma 
usually results in a visual impairment. We will evaluate any 
resulting visual impairment under 102.02.
    6. Melanoma. We evaluate malignant melanoma that affects the 
skin (cutaneous melanoma), eye (ocular melanoma), or mucosal 
membranes (mucosal melanoma) under 113.29. We evaluate melanoma that 
is not malignant that affects the skin (benign melanocytic tumor) 
under the listings in 108.00 or other affected body systems.
    L. How do we evaluate cancer treated by bone marrow or stem cell 
transplantation, including transplantation using stem cells from 
umbilical cord blood? Bone marrow or stem cell transplantation is 
performed for a variety of cancers. We require the transplantation 
to occur before we evaluate it under these listings. We do not need 
to restrict our determination of the onset of disability to the date 
of transplantation (113.05 or 113.06). We may be able to establish 
an earlier onset date of disability due to your transplantation if 
the evidence in your case record supports such a finding.
    1. Acute leukemia (including all types of lymphoblastic 
lymphomas and JCML) or accelerated or blast phase of CML. If you 
undergo bone marrow or stem cell transplantation for any of these 
disorders, we will consider you to be disabled until at least 24 
months from the date of diagnosis or relapse, or at least 12 months 
from the date of transplantation, whichever is later.
    2. Lymphoma or chronic phase of CML. If you undergo bone marrow 
or stem cell transplantation for any of these disorders, we will 
consider you to be disabled until at least 12 months from the date 
of transplantation.
    3. Evaluating disability after the appropriate time period has 
elapsed. We consider any residual impairment(s), such as 
complications arising from:
    a. Graft-versus-host (GVH) disease.
    b. Immunosuppressant therapy, such as frequent infections.
    c. Significant deterioration of other organ systems.
    113.01 Category of Impairments, Cancer (Malignant Neoplastic 
Diseases)
    113.03 Malignant solid tumors. Consider under a disability:
    A. For 24 months from the date of initial diagnosis. Thereafter, 
evaluate any residual impairment(s) under the criteria for the 
affected body system.
OR
    B. For 24 months from the date of recurrence of active disease. 
Thereafter, evaluate any residual impairment(s) under the criteria 
for the affected body system.
    113.05 Lymphoma (excluding all types of lymphoblastic 
lymphomas--113.06). (See 113.00K1.)
    A. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (including Burkitt's and anaplastic 
large cell), with either 1 or 2:
    1. Bone marrow, brain, spinal cord, liver, or lung involvement 
at initial diagnosis. Consider under a disability for 24 months from 
the date of diagnosis. Thereafter, evaluate under 113.05A2, or any 
residual impairments(s) under the criteria for the affected body 
system.
    2. Persistent or recurrent following initial anticancer therapy.
OR
    B. Hodgkin lymphoma, with either 1 or 2:
    1. Bone marrow, brain, spinal cord, liver, or lung involvement 
at initial diagnosis. Consider under a disability for 24 months from 
the date of diagnosis. Thereafter, evaluate under 113.05B2, or any 
residual impairment(s) under the criteria for the affected body 
system.
    2. Persistent or recurrent following initial anticancer therapy.

[[Page 28832]]

OR
* * * * *
OR
    D. Mantle cell lymphoma.
    113.06 Leukemia. (See 113.00K2.)
    A. Acute leukemia (including all types of lymphoblastic 
lymphomas and juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia (JCML)). 
Consider under a disability until at least 24 months from the date 
of diagnosis or relapse, or at least 12 months from the date of bone 
marrow or stem cell transplantation, whichever is later. Thereafter, 
evaluate any residual impairment(s) under the criteria for the 
affected body system.
OR
    B. * * *
    1. Accelerated or blast phase (see 113.00K2b). Consider under a 
disability until at least 24 months from the date of diagnosis or 
relapse, or at least 12 months from the date of bone marrow or stem 
cell transplantation, whichever is later. Thereafter, evaluate any 
residual impairment(s) under the criteria for the affected body 
system.
* * * * *
    113.12 Retinoblastoma.
* * * * *
    B. Persistent or recurrent following initial anticancer therapy.
* * * * *
    113.13 Nervous system. (See 113.00K4.) Primary central nervous 
system (CNS; that is, brain and spinal cord) cancers, as described 
in A, B, or C:
    A. Glioblastoma multiforme, ependymoblastoma, and diffuse 
intrinsic brain stem gliomas (see 113.00K4a).
    B. Any Grade III or Grade IV CNS cancer (see 113.00K4b), 
including astrocytomas, sarcomas, and medulloblastoma and other 
primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs).
    C. Any primary CNS cancer, as described in 1 or 2:
    1. Metastatic.
    2. Progressive or recurrent following initial anticancer 
therapy.
* * * * *
    113.29 Malignant melanoma (including skin, ocular, or mucosal 
melanomas), as described in either A, B, or C:
    A. Recurrent (except an additional primary melanoma at a 
different site, which is not considered to be recurrent disease) 
following either 1 or 2:
    1. Wide excision (skin melanoma).
    2. Enucleation of the eye (ocular melanoma).
OR
    B. With metastases as described in 1, 2, or 3:
    1. Metastases to one or more clinically apparent nodes; that is, 
nodes that are detected by imaging studies (excluding 
lymphoscintigraphy) or by clinical evaluation (palpable).
    2. If the nodes are not clinically apparent, with metastases to 
four or more nodes.
    3. Metastases to adjacent skin (satellite lesions) or distant 
sites (for example, liver, lung, or brain).
OR
    C. Mucosal melanoma.
* * * * *

[FR Doc. 2015-11923 Filed 5-19-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4191-02-P



                                                                  Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 97 / Wednesday, May 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations                                                28821

                                                Transactions between U.S. Financial                     requested to provide an estimate of the               health and welfare funds, and other
                                                Services Providers and Foreign                          total for each type of service. Provision             insurance funds); other investment
                                                Persons—2014, contained herein,                         of this information is voluntary. The                 pools and finds (including open-end
                                                whether or not they are contacted by                    estimates may be judgmental, that is,                 investment funds, trusts, estates, and
                                                BEA to ensure complete coverage of                      based on recall, without conducting a                 agency accounts, real estate investment
                                                financial services transactions between                 detailed records search. Because the                  trusts, and other financial vehicles); and
                                                U.S. financial services providers and                   $3,000,000 threshold applies separately               holding companies that own, or
                                                foreign persons. Also, a person, or its                 to sales and purchases, this voluntary                influence the management decisions of,
                                                agent, that is contacted by BEA about                   reporting option may apply only to                    firms principally engaged in the
                                                reporting in this survey, either by                     sales, only to purchases, or to both.                 aforementioned activities.
                                                sending a report form or by written                        (3) Exemption claims. Any U.S.                        (d) Covered types of services. The BE–
                                                inquiry, must respond in writing                        person that receives the BE–180 survey                180 survey covers the following types of
                                                pursuant to this section. This may be                   form from BEA, but is not subject to the              financial services transactions (sales or
                                                accomplished by:                                        mandatory reporting requirements and                  purchases) between U.S. financial
                                                   (1) Completing and returning the BE–                 chooses not to report voluntarily, must               services companies and foreign persons:
                                                180 survey by the due date; or,                         file an exemption claim by completing                 brokerage services related to equity
                                                   (2) If exempt, by completing pages                   pages one through five of the BE–180                  transactions; other brokerage services;
                                                one through five of the BE–180 survey                   survey and returning it to BEA. This                  underwriting and private placement
                                                and returning them to BEA.                              requirement is necessary to ensure                    services; financial management service
                                                   (b) Who must report. (1) A BE–180                    compliance with reporting requirements                (including fees for mutual funds,
                                                report is required of each U.S. person                  and efficient administration of the Act               pension funds, exchange-traded funds,
                                                that is a financial services provider or                by eliminating unnecessary follow-up                  private equity funds, corporate
                                                intermediary, or whose consolidated                     contact.                                              portfolio, individual portfolio, hedge
                                                U.S. enterprise includes a separately                      (c) BE–180 definition of financial                 funds, trusts, and other); credit related
                                                organized subsidiary, or part, that is a                services provider. The definition of                  services, except credit card services;
                                                financial services provider or                          financial services provider used for this             credit card services; financial advisory
                                                intermediary, and that had transactions                 survey is identical to the definition of              and custody services; securities lending
                                                (either sales or purchases) directly with               the term as used in the North American                services; electronic funds transfer
                                                foreign persons in all financial services               Industry Classification System, United                services; and other financial services.
                                                combined in excess of $3,000,000                        States, 2012, Sector 52—Finance and                      (e) Due date. A fully completed and
                                                during its fiscal year covered by the                   Insurance, and holding companies that                 certified BE–180 report, or qualifying
                                                survey on an accrual basis. The                         own or influence, and are principally                 exemption claim with pages one
                                                $3,000,000 threshold should be applied                  engaged in making management
                                                                                                                                                              through five completed, is due to be
                                                to financial services transactions with                 decisions for these firms (part of Sector
                                                                                                                                                              filed with BEA not later than October 1,
                                                foreign persons by all parts of the                     55—Management of Companies and
                                                consolidated U.S. enterprise combined                                                                         2015.
                                                                                                        Enterprises). For example, companies                  [FR Doc. 2015–11996 Filed 5–19–15; 8:45 am]
                                                that are financial services providers or                and/or subsidiaries and other separable
                                                                                                                                                              BILLING CODE 3510–06–M
                                                intermediaries. Because the $3,000,000                  parts of companies in the following
                                                threshold applies separately to sales and               industries are defined as financial
                                                purchases, the mandatory reporting                      services providers: Depository credit
                                                requirement may apply only to sales,                    intermediation and related activities                 SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
                                                only to purchases, or to both.                          (including commercial banking, savings
                                                   (i) The determination of whether a                   institutions, credit unions, and other                20 CFR Part 404
                                                U.S. financial services provider or                     depository credit intermediation); non-
                                                                                                                                                              [Docket No. SSA–2011–0098]
                                                intermediary is subject to this                         depository credit intermediation
                                                mandatory reporting requirement may                     (including credit card issuing, sales                 RIN 0960–AH43
                                                be based on the judgment of                             financing, and other non-depository
                                                knowledgeable persons in a company                      credit intermediation); activities related            Revised Medical Criteria for Evaluating
                                                who can identify reportable transactions                to credit intermediation (including                   Cancer (Malignant Neoplastic
                                                on a recall basis, with a reasonable                    mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers,                Diseases)
                                                degree of certainty, without conducting                 financial transactions processing,
                                                a detailed manual records search.                       reserve, and clearinghouse activities,                AGENCY:    Social Security Administration.
                                                   (ii) Reporters that file pursuant to this            and other activities related to credit                ACTION:   Final rule.
                                                mandatory reporting requirement must                    intermediation); securities and
                                                provide data on total sales and/or                      commodity contracts intermediation                    SUMMARY:    We are revising the criteria in
                                                purchases of each of the covered types                  and brokerage (including investment                   parts A and B of the Listing of
                                                of financial services transactions and                  banking and securities dealing,                       Impairments (listings) that we use to
                                                must disaggregate the totals by country                 securities brokerage, commodity                       evaluate claims involving cancer
                                                and by relationship to the foreign                      contracts and dealing, and commodity                  (malignant neoplastic diseases) under
                                                transactor (foreign affiliate, foreign                  contracts brokerage); securities and                  titles II and XVI of the Social Security
                                                parent group, or unaffiliated).                         commodity exchanges; other financial                  Act (Act). These revisions reflect our
                                                   (2) Voluntary reporting. If, during the              investment activities (including                      adjudicative experience, advances in
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES




                                                fiscal year covered, sales or purchases of              miscellaneous intermediation, portfolio               medical knowledge, recommendations
                                                financial services by a firm that is a                  management, investment advice, and all                from medical experts we consulted, and
                                                financial services provider or                          other financial investment activities);               public comments we received in
                                                intermediary, or by a firm’s subsidiaries,              insurance carriers; insurance agencies,               response to a Notice of Proposed
                                                or parts, combined that are financial                   brokerages, and other insurance related               Rulemaking (NPRM).
                                                services providers or intermediaries, are               activities; insurance and employee                    DATES: This rule is effective July 20,
                                                $3,000,000 or less, the U.S. person is                  benefit funds (including pension funds,               2015.


                                           VerDate Sep<11>2014   17:09 May 19, 2015   Jkt 235001   PO 00000   Frm 00015   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\20MYR1.SGM   20MYR1


                                                28822               Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 97 / Wednesday, May 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations

                                                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                         national cancer advocacy groups, State                   Response: We agree with the
                                                Cheryl A. Williams, Office of Medical                    agencies, a national group representing               commenter and have modified the
                                                Policy, Social Security Administration,                  disability examiners in State agencies                listings accordingly.
                                                6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore,                      that make disability determinations for                  Comment: One commenter suggested
                                                Maryland 21235–6401, (410) 965–1020.                     us, medical professionals, and                        we have only one listing for evaluating
                                                For information on eligibility or filing                 individual members of the public.                     small-cell carcinomas rather than adopt
                                                for benefits, call our national toll-free                  We carefully considered all of the                  our proposal to provide a criterion for
                                                number, 1–800–772–1213, or TTY 1–                        significant comments relevant to this                 small-cell carcinoma under several,
                                                800–325–0778, or visit our Internet site,                rulemaking. We have condensed and                     specific listings.3
                                                Social Security Online, at http://                       summarized the comments below. We                        Response: We did not adopt the
                                                www.socialsecurity.gov.                                  believe we have presented the                         comment. Some small-cell carcinomas
                                                                                                         commenters’ concerns and suggestions                  might be included under the single
                                                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                                                                         accurately and completely and                         listing the commenter proposed, but
                                                Background                                               responded to all significant issues that              may have favorable prognoses and not
                                                   We are revising and making final the                  were within the scope of this rule. We                be of listing-level severity. These small-
                                                regulations for evaluating cancer                        provide our reasons for adopting or not               cell carcinomas have a favorable
                                                (malignant neoplastic diseases) that we                  adopting the recommendations in our                   prognosis because physicians can detect
                                                proposed in an NPRM published in the                                                                           them in their early stages when it is still
                                                                                                         responses below.
                                                Federal Register on December 17, 2013,                                                                         possible to remove the cancer. The final
                                                at 78 FR 76508. Even though this rule                    General Comments                                      listings cover small-cell carcinomas that
                                                will not go into effect until 60 days after                                                                    occur in certain organs and tissues
                                                                                                            Comment: Many commenters
                                                publication of this document, for clarity                                                                      where physicians are unlikely to detect
                                                                                                         supported our proposal to change the                  them in their early stages, and treatment
                                                we refer to it in this preamble as the                   name of this body system from
                                                ‘‘final’’ rule. We refer to the rule in                                                                        is mainly palliative.
                                                                                                         ‘‘Malignant Neoplastic Diseases’’ to                     Comment: One commenter suggested
                                                effect prior to that time as the ‘‘prior’’               ‘‘Cancer’’ to make the name more                      that we include the stage of the cancer
                                                rule.                                                    recognizable to the lay public. However,
                                                   In the preamble to the NPRM, we                                                                             in the final listings for evaluating
                                                                                                         some commenters believed this change                  central nervous system and cervical
                                                discussed our proposed changes and our                   was not necessary or appropriate. These
                                                reasons for making them. Since we are                                                                          cancers, and lymphomas.
                                                                                                         commenters believed the lay public is                    Response: We did not adopt the
                                                mostly adopting those revisions as we                    sufficiently aware of the meaning of the              comment for two reasons. First, the
                                                proposed them, we are not repeating                      term ‘‘malignant neoplastic diseases’’                cancers mentioned by the commenter
                                                that information here. Interested readers                and that we should continue using it as               may have different staging systems that
                                                may refer to the preamble in the NPRM,                   the body system’s name. One                           are inconsistent with each other.
                                                available at http://www.regulations.gov.                 commenter thought ‘‘malignant
                                                   We are making some changes in this                                                                          Second, staging systems could change,
                                                                                                         neoplastic diseases’’ is a more                       potentially resulting in an inability to
                                                final rule based on the public comments                  encompassing name for the body system
                                                we received on the NPRM. We explain                                                                            find people with listing-level
                                                                                                         than ‘‘cancer.’’ The commenter                        impairments disabled at the listing step
                                                these changes in the ‘‘Summary of                        contended the term ‘‘cancer’’ has
                                                Public Comments’’ below.                                                                                       of the sequential evaluation process.
                                                                                                         traditionally meant only carcinoma, and                  Comment: A commenter proposed we
                                                Why are we revising the cancer                           does not include sarcoma, leukemia, or                provide more guidance in part B for
                                                listings?                                                malignancies in other cell types.                     evaluating conditions in children,
                                                   We developed this final rule as part                     Response: We disagree with the                     resulting from cancer or its treatment,
                                                of our ongoing review of the cancer                      commenters’ view that the lay public is               that do not meet the listings. The
                                                body system. When we last revised the                    sufficiently aware of the term                        commenter said such conditions might
                                                listings for this body system in a final                 ‘‘malignant neoplastic diseases,’’ and                include organ dysfunction resulting
                                                rule published on October 6, 2009, we                    have adopted our proposal to change the               from small-cell carcinomas, or
                                                indicated that we would monitor and                      name of this body system to ‘‘Cancer.’’               secondary lymphedema resulting from
                                                update the listings as needed.1                          We believe the lay public understands                 breast cancer treatment. The commenter
                                                                                                         that the term ‘‘cancer’’ means not only               believed the additional guidance would
                                                How long will this final rule stay in                    carcinoma but also the wide array of                  make the final listings more
                                                effect?                                                  malignancies. The National Cancer                     comprehensive.
                                                   We are extending the effective date of                Institute (NCI), National Cancer Society                 Response: We did not adopt the
                                                the cancer body system in parts A and                    (NCS), and other recognized experts use               comment because we believe final
                                                B of the listings until 5 years after the                the term ‘‘cancer’’ when referring to                 sections 113.00F and 113.00G already
                                                effective date of this final rule. The rule              carcinoma, sarcoma, leukemia,
                                                                                                                                                                 3 We retained prior listing 13.14B for evaluating
                                                will remain in effect only until that date               lymphoma, and malignancies of the
                                                                                                                                                               small-cell carcinoma in the lungs and added a
                                                unless we extend the expiration date.                    central nervous system in their                       criterion for small-cell carcinoma under the
                                                We will continue to monitor the rule                     publications.2                                        following specific listings: 13.02D for soft tissue
                                                and may revise it, as needed, before the                    Comment: A commenter, who                          cancers of the head and neck; 13.10D for cancer of
                                                end of the 5-year period.                                supported the proposed name change,                   the breast; 13.15C for cancer of the pleura and
                                                                                                                                                               mediastinum; 13.16C for cancer of the esophagus or
                                                                                                         recommended that we use the term
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                                                Summary of Public Comments                                                                                     stomach; 13.17C for cancer of the small intestine;
                                                                                                         ‘‘anticancer therapy’’ instead of                     13.18D for cancer of the large intestine; 13.22E for
                                                  In the NPRM, we gave the public a 60-                  ‘‘antineoplastic therapy’’ in this final              cancer of the urinary bladder; 13.23F for cancers of
                                                day comment period that ended on                         rule.                                                 the female genital tract; and 13.24C for cancer of the
                                                February 18, 2014. We received 15                                                                              prostate gland. We include a listing for small-cell
                                                                                                                                                               carcinoma of the small intestine, even though it is
                                                comments. The commenters included                         2 For example, see ‘‘NCI Home’’ at http://           a very rare cancer, to maintain internal consistency
                                                                                                         www.cancer.gov, and ‘‘American Cancer Society         among the regulations, and because of the cancer’s
                                                  1 See   74 FR 51229.                                   Home’’ at http://www.cancer.org/index.                unfavorable prognosis.



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                                                                    Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 97 / Wednesday, May 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations                                           28823

                                                provide the type of guidance the                          and 113.00I5, in which we clarified that               contended that ‘‘unresectable’’ should
                                                commenter recommended. In these                           we consider a cancer to be                             not include situations in which the
                                                sections, we explain that if a child has                  ‘‘progressive’’ if it is still growing after           surgeon removed the tumor and then
                                                a medically determinable impairment                       the person has completed at least half of              used adjuvant therapy to eliminate any
                                                that does not meet the listings, we will                  his or her planned initial anticancer                  micrometastases.
                                                determine whether the impairment                          therapy. The commenter believed this                      Response: We did not adopt the
                                                medically equals the listings. This                       criterion might delay adjudication if the              comment. We believe the commenter’s
                                                determination would include                               adjudicator must contact the treating                  proposed change is unnecessary. Final
                                                impairments caused by the cancer or                       source to ask how much of planned                      section 13.00I8 defines ‘‘adjuvant
                                                treatment side effects. If the impairment                 treatment the person has completed.                    therapy’’ as anticancer therapy given
                                                does not medically equal a listing,                          Response: We did not adopt this                     after surgery ‘‘to eliminate any
                                                section 113.00F further explains that we                  comment. We disagree with the                          remaining cancer cells or lessen the
                                                will also determine whether the                           commenter because we do not expect                     chance of recurrence.’’ These
                                                impairment functionally equals the                        adjudicators to obtain more information                ‘‘remaining cancer cells’’ include
                                                listings. Again, this determination                       than we required under the prior                       micrometastases.
                                                would include impairments caused by                       regulations. The proposed and final
                                                                                                                                                                 Sections 13.00K and 113.00K—How do
                                                the cancer or treatment side effects.                     sections express our intent to decide as
                                                                                                                                                                 we evaluate specific cancers?
                                                   Comment: One commenter                                 quickly as possible that a person is
                                                recommended we provide more                               disabled.                                                 Comment: A commenter
                                                guidance for evaluating treatment                            Comment: The same commenter                         recommended that we add examples of
                                                failure in bone marrow and stem cell                      thought that the definition of the term                common indolent lymphomas in final
                                                transplantation, and proposed specific                    ‘‘progressive’’ could result in a finding              section 13.00K1a. The commenter also
                                                language for making this change.                          that the claimant has a condition                      recommended that we add examples of
                                                   Response: We believe the change, and                   medically equivalent to cancer listings                common solid tumors in final section
                                                the specific language the commenter                       that do not require the malignancy to be               113.00K3.
                                                proposed, is not necessary because                        progressive.                                              Response: We did not adopt the
                                                listings for bone marrow and stem cell                       Response: We do not share the                       comment. These recommendations
                                                transplantation have a criterion for                      commenter’s concern because, as we                     appear to be administrative concerns
                                                evaluating any residual impairments                       explain in sections 13.00C and 113.00C,                better handled through training and
                                                following treatment. These residual                       we will only apply the criteria in a                   operating instructions for our
                                                impairments would include the                             specific listing to a cancer originating               adjudicators.
                                                evaluation of those associated with                       from that specific site.                                  Comment: A commenter
                                                treatment failure.                                           Comment: One commenter                              recommended that we create a listing
                                                                                                          recommended that we revise the                         for primary peritoneal carcinoma. The
                                                Section 13.00E—When do we need                            definition of ‘‘persistent’’ cancer in final           commenter argued that having a listing
                                                longitudinal evidence?                                    section 13.00I5. The commenter also                    would be better than the guidance in
                                                   Comment: One commenter asked us                        provided language for the suggested                    section 13.00K7, in which we explained
                                                to specify which sources can provide                      revision.                                              that we can evaluate this cancer in
                                                the evidence required in final section                       Response: We did not adopt the                      women under final 13.23E for ovarian
                                                13.00E3c to document that the treating                    comment for two reasons. First, the                    cancer, and evaluate it in men under
                                                source has started multimodal therapy                     language the commenter proposed could                  13.15A for malignant mesothelioma.
                                                under final listings 13.02E, 13.11D, and                  be misinterpreted to require that all of                  Response: We did not adopt the
                                                13.14C. The commenter indicated that                      a person’s anticancer therapy must fail                commenter’s recommendation that we
                                                we should accept this evidence only                       to achieve a complete remission,                       create a listing for primary peritoneal
                                                from an acceptable medical source such                    including any second- or third-line                    carcinoma. Primary peritoneal
                                                as a medical or osteopathic doctor.                       therapies after initial anticancer                     carcinoma is very rare, and we do not
                                                   Response: We did not adopt the                         therapy.5 This interpretation would be                 usually provide listings for rare cancers.
                                                comment because it may limit our                          contrary to our intent in listings that                Instead, we believe the better practice is
                                                ability to obtain evidence to determine                   require only the planned initial                       to clarify in the introductory text which
                                                if multimodal therapy has started and,                    anticancer therapy to fail. Second, the                listings to use to evaluate certain rare
                                                thus, establish listing-level severity.                   language the commenter proposed                        cancers, as we did in final section
                                                While an acceptable medical source                        would not explain the meaning of the                   13.00K7 for primary peritoneal
                                                may provide this evidence, our existing                   phrase ‘‘failed to achieve a complete                  carcinoma.
                                                policy allows us to accept evidence                       remission.’’ By defining this phrase, the                 Comment: A few commenters
                                                from other medical sources to establish                   final section clarifies that the cancer is             expressed concern about the
                                                the impairment’s severity.4 For                           ‘‘persistent’’ if any of it remains after              clarification in proposed section
                                                example, this evidence may come from                      treatment is completed, even if the                    13.00K8 that excludes ‘‘biochemical
                                                sources we do not consider acceptable                     cancer responded to the initial therapy                recurrence’’ for evaluating recurrent
                                                medical sources, such as oncology nurse                   and became smaller.                                    cancer of the prostate gland in listing
                                                practitioners who administer                                 Comment: One commenter                              13.24A. In this section, we defined
                                                chemotherapy and radiation therapists                     recommended that the definition of the                 ‘‘biochemical recurrence’’ as an increase
                                                who deliver radiation treatments.                         term ‘‘unresectable’’ in final section                 in the serum prostate-specific antigen
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                                                                                                          13.00I8 address the presence of                        (PSA) level following the completion of
                                                Sections 13.00I and 113.00I—What do                       micrometastases. The commenter                         anticancer therapy. Section 13.24A
                                                we mean by the following terms?                                                                                  requires corroborating evidence to
                                                                                                            5 We may consider follow-up surgery to be a part
                                                  Comment: One commenter expressed                                                                               document recurrence, such as
                                                                                                          of initial anticancer treatment if the intent of the
                                                concern over proposed sections 13.00I6                    follow-up surgery is to obtain clear margins and the
                                                                                                                                                                 radiological studies or findings on
                                                                                                          complete eradication of any residual cancer left       physical exam. Commenters believed
                                                  4 See   20 CFR 404.1513(d) and 416.913(d).              behind.                                                this requirement might delay a finding


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                                                28824              Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 97 / Wednesday, May 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations

                                                of disability and unfairly penalize                     Listing 13.02—Soft Tissue Cancers of                  produce very serious adverse effects.
                                                people with prostate cancer. They noted                 the Head and Neck (Except Salivary                    The commenter also noted that it is
                                                that doctors frequently use PSA values                  Glands—13.08—and Thyroid Gland—                       common for us to find these people
                                                to determine recurrence and may                         13.09)                                                disabled after the listing step in the
                                                initiate anticancer treatment for                          Comment: A commenter                               sequential evaluation process by taking
                                                recurrent cancer upon this evidence                                                                           into consideration the adverse effects of
                                                                                                        recommended revisions to 13.02E to
                                                alone.                                                                                                        treatment and that the length of
                                                                                                        condense the final listing significantly.
                                                   Response: We agree that in some                                                                            treatment nearly satisfies the 12-month
                                                                                                           Response: We did not adopt the
                                                cases, an isolated PSA reading may                                                                            duration requirement. The commenter
                                                                                                        comment because the proposed change
                                                support a diagnosis of recurrent prostate                                                                     believed it would be better for us to
                                                                                                        might be misinterpreted to include any
                                                cancer, especially if this diagnosis is                                                                       make the determination of disability at
                                                                                                        metastases in the head or neck from
                                                from an acceptable medical source and                                                                         the listing step.
                                                                                                        cancers originating elsewhere under                      Similarly, a commenter recommended
                                                is consistent with the prevailing state of
                                                                                                        listing 13.02E. Our intent in this listing            we add a listing that prescribes a period
                                                medical knowledge and clinical
                                                                                                        is to evaluate cancers that receive                   of disability of at least 18 months for
                                                practice. However, we did not adopt the
                                                                                                        multimodal therapy and originate in the               people receiving multimodal therapy
                                                comments because we believe it is
                                                                                                        head and neck only.                                   that includes surgery for low anal
                                                reasonable to require corroborating
                                                evidence to confirm the diagnosis. A                    Listing 113.05—Lymphoma (Excluding                    cancers and rectal cancers. The
                                                rising PSA level alone does not                         All Types of Lymphoblastic                            commenter noted that neoadjuvant
                                                necessarily mean prostate cancer has                    Lymphomas—113.06)                                     chemotherapy or radiation followed by
                                                returned. Additional factors, such as the                                                                     surgery to eliminate these anal or rectal
                                                                                                           Comment: A commenter                               cancers frequently takes at least 12
                                                cancer’s TNM 6 characteristics, PSA                     recommended that we include
                                                kinetics, timing of the biochemical                                                                           months to complete. The treatment may
                                                                                                        cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings as                 result in prolonged debilitation
                                                recurrence, treatment modality, and                     evidence for determining listing-level
                                                Gleason score, should be considered.7 8                                                                       although the impairment may not meet
                                                                                                        lymphoma under final listings 113.05A1                or medically equal the listings.
                                                The American Joint Committee on                         and 113.05B1.
                                                Cancer notes that the natural                                                                                    Response: We believe the
                                                                                                           Response: We did not adopt the                     commenter’s proposed listing for breast
                                                progression from biochemical                            comment. It is not a standard clinical
                                                recurrence to clinical disease recurrence                                                                     cancer would cover many cases of early
                                                                                                        practice in lymphoma to conduct                       cancer. Most people with early breast
                                                is highly variable and may depend on                    cerebrospinal fluid examination for
                                                these additional factors.9 In light of this                                                                   cancer complete multimodal therapy
                                                                                                        analysis; therefore, we do not believe it             within 6 months and recover from any
                                                variability and the other factors that                  is appropriate to require this evidence to
                                                should be considered, we continue to                                                                          adverse effects relatively soon. In these
                                                                                                        establish severity. However, we will                  cases, the impairment would not
                                                believe that we should exclude                          inform adjudicators, through training
                                                ‘‘biochemical recurrence’’ in listing                                                                         preclude the ability to work for the
                                                                                                        and operating instructions, that they can             required 12 months.
                                                13.24A.                                                 accept CSF findings if this evidence is
                                                   Comment: One commenter                                                                                        However, we agree with the
                                                                                                        available.                                            commenter that in some cases
                                                recommended that we delete the
                                                parenthetical reference to ‘‘benign                     Listing 13.10—Breast (Except                          multimodal therapy may take
                                                melanocytic tumor’’ in final sections                   Sarcoma—13.04)                                        substantially longer than 6 months to
                                                13.00K9 and 113.00K6. The commenter                                                                           complete. For example, very serious
                                                                                                          Comment: One commenter asked how                    adverse effects may interrupt and
                                                claimed that citing a benign disease in                 long adjudicators should defer                        prolong therapy, resulting in an active
                                                the cancer listings may be confusing for                adjudication of cases for evaluating                  impairment lasting almost 12 months. It
                                                adjudicators.                                           breast cancer with secondary
                                                   Response: We did not adopt the                                                                             is a long-standing principle that we may
                                                                                                        lymphedema resulting from anticancer                  make a finding of disability at the listing
                                                comment because we believe the                          therapy and treated by surgery to
                                                reference to benign melanocytic tumor                                                                         step if there is the expectation that an
                                                                                                        salvage or restore the functioning of an              impairment that has been active for
                                                can direct adjudicators to the                          upper extremity under proposed listing
                                                appropriate body systems for evaluating                                                                       almost 12 months will preclude a
                                                                                                        13.10E.                                               person from engaging in any gainful
                                                this condition, Skin Disorders (8.00 and                  Response: We disagree with the                      activity for the required 12 months. We
                                                108.00). This reference is similar to how               commenter’s premise that adjudicators                 base this finding on the nature of the
                                                final sections 13.00K6c and 113.00K4c                   need to defer adjudication of these                   impairment; prescribed treatment;
                                                direct adjudicators to the appropriate                  cases. Adjudicators can adjudicate a                  therapeutic history, including adverse
                                                body systems for evaluating benign                      case at the listing step if the surgery is            effects of treatment; and other relevant
                                                brain tumors.                                           performed. The need for this surgery to               considerations. Therefore, we partially
                                                  6 The acronym ‘‘TNM’’ relates to the Tumor size,
                                                                                                        salvage or restore functioning of an                  adopted the comment by providing
                                                lymph Node involvement, and presence of                 upper extremity demonstrates listing-                 language in final section 13.00G3 to
                                                Metastases.                                             level severity of the secondary                       clarify that we can apply this principle
                                                  7 PSA kinetics involves assessing the PSA level       lymphedema without the need to make                   to multimodal anticancer therapy for
                                                over time, such as measuring of its rate of change      a determination about the effectiveness               breast cancer and other cancers. We also
                                                (velocity) and how long it takes it to double.
                                                                                                        of the surgery.                                       added the clarifying language in final
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                                                  8 The National Cancer Institute defines ‘‘Gleason

                                                score’’ as a system of grading prostate cancer tissue     Comment: A commenter                                section 113.00G3 for children.
                                                based on how it looks under the microscope              recommended we add a listing that                        We did not make changes to listing
                                                (available at: http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary         prescribes a period of disability of at               13.18 for evaluating anal and rectal
                                                ?CdrID=45696).                                          least 18 months for people receiving                  cancers. This listing and the
                                                  9 See Carolyn C. Compton et al. eds., Cancer

                                                Staging Atlas: A Companion to the Seventh Editions
                                                                                                        multimodal therapy for breast cancer.                 commenter’s recommendation for a new
                                                of the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual and Handbook,         The commenter noted that multimodal                   listing covering multimodal therapy
                                                New York: Springer, 2012, page 535–545.                 therapy could last 6 or more months and               with surgery for anal and rectal cancers


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                                                                   Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 97 / Wednesday, May 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations                                                     28825

                                                are outside the scope of this rulemaking.               diagnosis would only confirm this                     initial disease or a recurrent disease. We
                                                However, we believe the changes made                    prognosis, and the prognosis would                    also added examples of distant sites
                                                in final section 13.00G3 partially                      remain poor regardless of a person’s age.             frequently affected by metastases from
                                                address this commenter’s concerns.                         Comment: A national advocacy group                 cutaneous and ocular melanomas in
                                                                                                        for women with ovarian cancer                         13.29B3 and 113.29B3.
                                                Listing 13.13—Nervous System                            recommended that we reinstate a listing
                                                   Comment: One commenter                               we deleted in 2009. The listing covered               What is our authority to make
                                                recommended that we clarify in the                      ovarian cancer with ruptured ovarian                  regulations and set procedures for
                                                introductory text whether adjudicators                  capsule, tumor on the serosal surface of              determining whether a person is
                                                should use listing 13.13 to evaluate                    the ovary, ascites with malignant cells,              disabled under the statutory definition?
                                                pituitary gland cancer in adults.                       or positive peritoneal washings. The
                                                   Response: We adopted the                             commenter believed we find most                         Under the Act, we have full power
                                                commenter’s recommendation by                           women with this extent of disease                     and authority to make rules and
                                                providing language in final section                     disabled at later steps of the sequential             regulations and to establish necessary
                                                13.00K6a and final section 113.00K4a in                 evaluation process after the listing step             and appropriate procedures to carry out
                                                the introductory text clarifying that we                or on appeal. The commenter also                      such provisions.13
                                                evaluate cancerous pituitary gland                      believed the adverse effects of cancer                Regulatory Procedures
                                                tumors, for example, pituitary                          treatment might be disabling in
                                                carcinoma,10 under final listing 13.13A1                themselves, especially for women                      Executive Order 12866, as
                                                and final listing 113.13A, respectively.                whose jobs require significant exertion               Supplemented by Executive Order
                                                   Comment: The same commenter                          or do not allow time off for recovery                 13563
                                                expressed concern about the statement,                  from treatment.
                                                in proposed sections 13.00K6b and                          Response: We agree we could find a                   We have consulted with the Office of
                                                113.00K4b, that we consider brain                       woman with the findings in the prior                  Management and Budget (OMB) and
                                                tumors malignant only if they are                       listing disabled after the listing step of            determined that this final rule meets the
                                                classified as grade II or higher under the              the sequential evaluation process. We                 criteria for a significant regulatory
                                                World Health Organization (WHO),                        realize that adverse effects of ovarian               action under Executive Order 12866, as
                                                ‘‘Classification of Tumours of the                      cancer treatment may preclude a woman                 supplemented by Executive Order
                                                Central Nervous System, 2007.’’ The                     from working. However, we did not                     13563, and was reviewed by OMB.
                                                commenter asked how an adjudicator                      adopt the commenter’s recommendation                  Regulatory Flexibility Act
                                                should evaluate central nervous system                  because many women with ovarian
                                                tumors graded under different                           cancer that meets the specific criteria in              We certify that this final rule has no
                                                classification systems.                                 the deleted listing would not have an                 significant economic impact on a
                                                   Response: We believe we have                         impairment that precludes any gainful                 substantial number of small entities
                                                addressed the commenter’s concerns in                   activity, which is the standard of                    because it affects only individuals.
                                                existing operating instructions that help               severity in the listings.12                           Therefore, a regulatory flexibility
                                                adjudicators determine the WHO grade                                                                          analysis was not required under the
                                                of specific brain cancers if a different                Other Changes
                                                                                                                                                              Regulatory Flexibility Act, as amended.
                                                grading system is used or if the medical                   We made a number of editorial
                                                evidence does not identify a particular                 changes and technical corrections in the              Paperwork Reduction Act
                                                grading system.11 These instructions                    final rule to increase the clarity and
                                                                                                        consistency of the listings. For example,               This final rule does not create any
                                                also help adjudicators determine which
                                                                                                        we redesignated proposed listing                      new or affect any existing collections
                                                grade to use when there are
                                                                                                        13.05A3 for evaluating mantle cell                    and, therefore, does not require OMB
                                                inconsistencies in the medical record,
                                                such as some medical evidence                           lymphoma in adults as final listing                   approval under the Paperwork
                                                describing the tumor as grade II while                  13.05D to make it a stand-alone listing               Reduction Act.
                                                other medical evidence describes it as                  consistent with stand-alone final listing             (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
                                                grade III or grade IV.                                  113.05D for evaluating mantle cell                    Program Nos. 96.001, Social Security—
                                                                                                        lymphoma in children. We also changed                 Disability Insurance; 96.002, Social
                                                Listing 13.23—Cancers of the Female                     the parenthetical examples in prior                   Security—Retirement Insurance; 96.004,
                                                Genital Tract—Carcinoma or Sarcoma                      sections 13.00H1 and 113.00H1 from ‘‘at               Social Security—Survivors Insurance; and
                                                   Comment: A commenter                                 least 18 months from the date of                      96.006, Supplemental Security Income).
                                                recommended that we add criteria in                     diagnosis’’ and ‘‘at least 12 months from
                                                final listing 13.23B3 to take into account                                                                    List of Subjects in 20 CFR Part 404
                                                                                                        the date of diagnosis,’’ respectively, to
                                                a cancer’s histologic diagnosis and the                 ‘‘until at least 12 months from the date                Administrative practice and
                                                age of the claimant at onset.                           of transplantation’’ to make these adult              procedure, Blind, Disability benefits,
                                                   Response: We did not adopt this                      and child sections consistent.                        Old-age, Survivors, and Disability
                                                comment. We do not believe it is                           Additionally, we redesignated                      Insurance, Reporting and recordkeeping
                                                necessary to include such                               proposed listings 13.29A3 and 113.29A3                requirements, Social Security.
                                                considerations in the listing because the               for evaluating mucosal melanoma as
                                                prognosis is already poor for cervical                  stand-alone listings 13.29C and 113.29C.                Dated: May 11, 2015.
                                                cancer that meets the specific criteria of              We made this change because we                        Carolyn W. Colvin,
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                                                the listing. Considering the histological               determined, through our ongoing review                Acting Commissioner of Social Security.
                                                                                                        of the scientific and medical literature,
                                                   10 Pituitary gland carcinoma is highly malignant.
                                                                                                        that mucosal melanoma carries a very                    For the reasons set out in the
                                                Treatment is mainly palliative. People who have                                                               preamble, we are amending 20 CFR part
                                                pituitary gland carcinoma have a mean survival
                                                                                                        poor prognosis and is of listing-level
                                                time of only about 2 years.                             severity regardless of whether it is an               404 subpart P as set forth below:
                                                   11 Program Operations Manual System, available

                                                at: http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0424585001.       12 See   sections 404.1525 and 416.925.                13 Sections   205(a), 702(a)(5), and 1631(d)(1).



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                                                28826             Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 97 / Wednesday, May 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations

                                                PART 404—FEDERAL OLD-AGE,                               ■  s. Revise listing 13.19 of part A.                    3. Duration, frequency, and response to
                                                SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY                                ■  t. Amend listing 13.20 of part A by                anticancer therapy.
                                                                                                        revising listing 13.20B.                                 4. Effects of any post-therapeutic residuals.
                                                INSURANCE (1950–)                                                                                                C. How do we apply these listings? We
                                                                                                        ■ u. Amend listing 13.22 of part A by
                                                                                                                                                              apply the criteria in a specific listing to a
                                                Subpart P—Determining Disability and                    adding the word ‘‘OR’’ after listing                  cancer originating from that specific site.
                                                Blindness                                               13.22D, and adding listing 13.22E.                       D. What evidence do we need?
                                                                                                        ■ v. Amend listing 13.23 of part A by                    1. We need medical evidence that specifies
                                                ■ 1. The authority citation for subpart P               revising the heading, revising listings               the type, extent, and site of the primary,
                                                of part 404 continues to read as follows:               13.23A3, 13.23B, 13.23C3, 13.23D2 and                 recurrent, or metastatic lesion. When the
                                                  Authority: Secs. 202, 205(a)–(b) and (d)–             13.23E, adding the word ‘‘OR’’ after                  primary site cannot be identified, we will use
                                                (h), 216(i), 221(a), (i), and (j), 222(c), 223,         listing 13.23E, and adding listing                    evidence documenting the site(s) of
                                                225, and 702(a)(5) of the Social Security Act                                                                 metastasis to evaluate the impairment under
                                                                                                        13.23F.
                                                (42 U.S.C. 402, 405(a)–(b), and (d)–(h), 416(i),                                                              13.27.
                                                                                                        ■ w. Amend listing 13.24 of part A by
                                                421(a), (i), and (j), 422(c), 423, 425, and                                                                      2. For operative procedures, including a
                                                                                                        revising listing 13.24A, adding the word              biopsy or a needle aspiration, we generally
                                                902(a)(5)); sec. 211(b), Pub. L. 104–193, 110           ‘‘OR’’ after listing 13.24B, and adding
                                                Stat. 2105, 2189; sec. 202, Pub. L. 108–203,                                                                  need a copy of both the:
                                                118 Stat. 509 (42 U.S.C. 902 note).
                                                                                                        listing 13.24C.                                          a. Operative note, and
                                                                                                        ■ x. Revise listing 13.25 of part A.                     b. Pathology report.
                                                ■ 2. Amend appendix 1 to subpart P of                   ■ y. Amend listing 13.28 of part A by                    3. When we cannot get these documents,
                                                part 404 as follows:                                    revising the heading.                                 we will accept the summary of
                                                ■ a. Revise item 14 of the introductory                 ■ z. Add listing 13.29 after listing 13.28
                                                                                                                                                              hospitalization(s) or other medical reports.
                                                text before part A.                                                                                           This evidence should include details of the
                                                                                                        of part A.                                            findings at surgery and, whenever
                                                ■ b. Amend part A by revising the body                  ■ aa. Amend part B by revising the body               appropriate, the pathological findings.
                                                system name for section 13.00 in the                    system name for section 113.00 in the                    4. In some situations, we may also need
                                                table of contents.                                      table of contents.                                    evidence about recurrence, persistence, or
                                                ■ c. Revise section 13.00 of part A.                    ■ bb. Revise section 113.00 of part B.                progression of the cancer, the response to
                                                ■ d. Amend listing 13.02 of part A by                   ■ cc. Revise listing 113.03 of part B.                therapy, and any significant residuals. (See
                                                revising the heading, revising listing                  ■ dd. Amend listing 113.05 of part B by               13.00G.)
                                                13.02B, removing listing 13.02C,                        revising the heading and listings                        E. When do we need longitudinal evidence?
                                                redesignating listing 13.02D as new                                                                              1. Cancer with distant metastases. We
                                                                                                        113.05A and 113.05B, adding the word                  generally do not need longitudinal evidence
                                                13.02C, adding new listing 13.02D and                   ‘‘OR’’ after listing 113.05C, and adding              for cancer that has metastasized beyond the
                                                revising listing 13.02E.                                listing 113.05D.                                      regional lymph nodes because this cancer
                                                ■ e. Amend listing 13.03 of part A by                   ■ ee. Amend listing 113.06 of part B by               usually meets the requirements of a listing.
                                                revising listing 13.03B.                                revising listings 113.06A and 113.06B1.               Exceptions are for cancer with distant
                                                ■ f. Amend listing 13.04 of part A by                   ■ ff. Amend listing 113.12 of part B by               metastases that we expect to respond to
                                                revising listing 13.04B.                                revising listing 113.12B.                             anticancer therapy. For these exceptions, we
                                                ■ g. Amend listing 13.05 of part A by                   ■ gg. Revise listing 113.13 of part B.                usually need a longitudinal record of 3
                                                revising listings 13.05A1, 13.05A2 and                  ■ hh. Add listing 113.29 after listing
                                                                                                                                                              months after therapy starts to determine
                                                13.05B, and adding listing 13.05D.                                                                            whether the therapy achieved its intended
                                                                                                        113.21 of part B.                                     effect, and whether this effect is likely to
                                                ■ h. Amend listing 13.06 of part A by                      The revised and added text is set forth            persist.
                                                revising the first sentence of listing                  as follows:                                              2. Other cancers. When there are no distant
                                                13.06B1 and revising listing 13.06B2b.                                                                        metastases, many of the listings require that
                                                                                                        APPENDIX 1 TO SUBPART P OF PART
                                                ■ i. Amend listing 13.07 of part A by                                                                         we consider your response to initial
                                                                                                        404—LISTING OF IMPAIRMENTS
                                                revising listing 13.07A.                                                                                      anticancer therapy; that is, the initial
                                                ■ j. Amend listing 13.10 of part A by
                                                                                                        *      *     *       *       *                        planned treatment regimen. This therapy
                                                                                                          14. Cancer (Malignant Neoplastic Diseases)          may consist of a single modality or a
                                                revising listings 13.10A and 13.10C,                    (13.00 and 113.00): July 20, 2020.
                                                adding the word ‘‘OR’’ after listing                                                                          combination of modalities; that is,
                                                13.10C, adding listing 13.10D, adding                   *      *     *       *       *                        multimodal therapy. (See 13.00I4.)
                                                                                                                                                                 3. Types of treatment.
                                                the word ‘‘OR’’ after listing 13.10D, and               Part A                                                   a. Whenever the initial planned therapy is
                                                adding listing 13.10E.                                  *      *     *       *       *                        a single modality, enough time must pass to
                                                ■ k. Amend listing 13.11 of part A by                                                                         allow a determination about whether the
                                                revising listings 13.11B and 13.11D.                    13.00 Cancer (Malignant Neoplastic                    therapy will achieve its intended effect. If the
                                                                                                        Diseases)
                                                ■ l. Amend listing 13.12 of part A by                                                                         treatment fails, the failure often happens
                                                revising listing 13.12C.                                *      *     *       *       *                        within 6 months after treatment starts, and
                                                ■ m. Revise listing 13.13 of part A.                                                                          there will often be a change in the treatment
                                                                                                        13.00 CANCER (MALIGNANT
                                                ■ n. Amend listing 13.14C of part A by                                                                        regimen.
                                                                                                        NEOPLASTIC DISEASES)
                                                                                                                                                                 b. Whenever the initial planned therapy is
                                                revising the first sentence.                              A. What impairments do these listings               multimodal, we usually cannot make a
                                                ■ o. Amend listing 13.15 of part A by                   cover? We use these listings to evaluate all          determination about the effectiveness of the
                                                revising listing 13.15B2 and adding the                 cancers (malignant neoplastic diseases),              therapy until we can determine the effects of
                                                word ‘‘OR’’ after listing 13.15B2, and                  except certain cancers associated with                all the planned modalities. In some cases, we
                                                adding listing 13.15C.                                  human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)                    may need to defer adjudication until we can
                                                ■ p. Amend listing 13.16 of part A by                   infection. If you have HIV infection, we use          assess the effectiveness of therapy. However,
                                                adding the word ‘‘OR’’ after listing                    the criteria in 14.08E to evaluate carcinoma          we do not need to defer adjudication to
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                                                13.16B, and adding listing 13.16C.                      of the cervix, Kaposi sarcoma, lymphoma,              determine whether the therapy will achieve
                                                                                                        and squamous cell carcinoma of the anal               its intended effect if we can make a fully
                                                ■ q. Amend listing 13.17 of part A by
                                                                                                        canal and anal margin.                                favorable determination or decision based on
                                                adding the word ‘‘OR’’ after listing                      B. What do we consider when we evaluate             the length and effects of therapy, or the
                                                13.17B, and adding listing 13.17C.                      cancer under these listings? We will consider         residuals of the cancer or therapy (see
                                                ■ r. Amend listing 13.18 of part A by                   factors including:                                    13.00G).
                                                adding the word ‘‘OR’’ after listing                      1. Origin of the cancer.                               c. We need evidence under 13.02E, 13.11D,
                                                13.18C, and adding listing 13.18D.                        2. Extent of involvement.                           and 13.14C to establish that your treating



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                                                                  Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 97 / Wednesday, May 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations                                              28827

                                                source initiated multimodal anticancer                  may be disabling for a consecutive period of          This term does not include the spread of
                                                therapy. We do not need to make a                       at least 12 months. In some situations, very          cancer cells by direct extension of the cancer
                                                determination about the length or                       serious adverse effects may interrupt and             to other tissues or organs.
                                                effectiveness of your therapy. Multimodal               prolong multimodal anticancer therapy for a              4. Multimodal therapy means anticancer
                                                therapy has been initiated, and satisfies the           continuous period of almost 12 months. In             therapy that is a combination of at least two
                                                requirements in 13.02E, 13.11D, and 13.14C,             these situations, we may determine there is           types of treatment given in close proximity
                                                when your treating source starts the first              an expectation that your impairment will              as a unified whole and usually planned
                                                modality. We may defer adjudication if your             preclude you from engaging in any gainful             before any treatment has begun. There are
                                                treating source plans multimodal therapy and            activity for at least 12 months.                      three types of treatment modalities: surgery,
                                                has not yet initiated it.                                  4. When the initial anticancer therapy is          radiation, and systemic drug therapy
                                                   F. How do we evaluate impairments that               effective. We evaluate any post-therapeutic           (chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and
                                                do not meet one of the cancer listings?                 residual impairment(s) not included in these          immunotherapy or biological modifier
                                                   1. These listings are only examples of               listings under the criteria for the affected          therapy). Examples of multimodal therapy
                                                cancer that we consider severe enough to                body system. We must consider any                     include:
                                                prevent you from doing any gainful activity.            complications of therapy. When the residual              a. Surgery followed by chemotherapy or
                                                If your severe impairment(s) does not meet              impairment(s) does not meet or medically              radiation.
                                                the criteria of any of these listings, we must          equal a listing, we must consider its effect on          b. Chemotherapy followed by surgery.
                                                also consider whether you have an                       your ability to do substantial gainful activity.         c. Chemotherapy and concurrent radiation.
                                                impairment(s) that meets the criteria of a                 H. How long do we consider your                       5. Persistent means the planned initial
                                                listing in another body system.                         impairment to be disabling?                           anticancer therapy failed to achieve a
                                                   2. If you have a severe medically                       1. In some listings, we specify that we will       complete remission of your cancer; that is,
                                                determinable impairment(s) that does not                consider your impairment to be disabling              your cancer is evident, even if smaller, after
                                                meet a listing, we will determine whether               until a particular point in time (for example,        the therapy has ended.
                                                your impairment(s) medically equals a                   until at least 12 months from the date of                6. Progressive means the cancer becomes
                                                listing. (See §§ 404.1526 and 416.926 of this           transplantation). We may consider your                more extensive after treatment; that is, there
                                                chapter.) If your impairment(s) does not meet           impairment to be disabling beyond this point          is evidence that your cancer is growing after
                                                or medically equal a listing, you may or may            when the medical and other evidence                   you have completed at least half of your
                                                not have the residual functional capacity to            justifies it.                                         planned initial anticancer therapy.
                                                engage in substantial gainful activity. In that            2. When a listing does not contain such a             7. Recurrent or relapse means the cancer
                                                situation, we proceed to the fourth, and, if            specification, we will consider an                    that was in complete remission or entirely
                                                necessary, the fifth steps of the sequential            impairment(s) that meets or medically equals          removed by surgery has returned.
                                                evaluation process in §§ 404.1520 and                   a listing in this body system to be disabling            8. Unresectable means surgery or surgeries
                                                416.920 of this chapter. We use the rules in            until at least 3 years after onset of complete        did not completely remove the cancer. This
                                                §§ 404.1594 and 416.994 of this chapter, as             remission. When the impairment(s) has been            term includes situations in which your
                                                appropriate, when we decide whether you                 in complete remission for at least 3 years,           cancer is incompletely resected or the
                                                continue to be disabled.                                that is, the original tumor or a recurrence (or       surgical margins are positive. It does not
                                                   G. How do we consider the effects of                 relapse) and any metastases have not been             include situations in which there is a finding
                                                anticancer therapy?                                     evident for at least 3 years, the impairment(s)       of a positive margin(s) if additional surgery
                                                   1. How we consider the effects of                    will no longer meet or medically equal the            obtains a margin(s) that is clear. It also does
                                                anticancer therapy under the listings. In               criteria of a listing in this body system.            not include situations in which the cancer is
                                                many cases, cancers meet listing criteria only             3. Following the appropriate period, we            completely resected but you are receiving
                                                if the therapy is not effective and the cancer          will consider any residuals, including                adjuvant therapy. Adjuvant therapy is
                                                persists, progresses, or recurs. However, as            residuals of the cancer or therapy (see               anticancer therapy, such as chemotherapy or
                                                explained in the following paragraphs, we               13.00G), in determining whether you are               radiation, given after surgery in order to
                                                will not delay adjudication if we can make              disabled. If you have a recurrence or relapse         eliminate any remaining cancer cells or
                                                a fully favorable determination or decision             of your cancer, your impairment may meet or           lessen the chance of recurrence.
                                                based on the evidence in the case record.               medically equal one of the listings in this              J. Can we establish the existence of a
                                                   2. Effects can vary widely.                          body system again.                                    disabling impairment prior to the date of the
                                                   a. We consider each case on an individual               I. What do we mean by the following                evidence that shows the cancer satisfies the
                                                basis because the therapy and its toxicity              terms?                                                criteria of a listing? Yes. We will consider
                                                may vary widely. We will request a specific                1. Anticancer therapy means surgery,               factors such as:
                                                description of the therapy, including these             radiation, chemotherapy, hormones,                       1. The type of cancer and its location.
                                                items:                                                  immunotherapy, or bone marrow or stem cell               2. The extent of involvement when the
                                                   i. Drugs given.                                      transplantation. When we refer to surgery as          cancer was first demonstrated.
                                                   ii. Dosage.                                          an anticancer treatment, we mean surgical                3. Your symptoms.
                                                   iii. Frequency of drug administration.               excision for treatment, not for diagnostic               K. How do we evaluate specific cancers?
                                                   iv. Plans for continued drug                         purposes.                                                1. Lymphoma.
                                                administration.                                            2. Inoperable means surgery is thought to             a. Many indolent (non-aggressive)
                                                   v. Extent of surgery.                                be of no therapeutic value or the surgery             lymphomas are controlled by well-tolerated
                                                   vi. Schedule and fields of radiation                 cannot be performed; for example, when you            treatment modalities, although the
                                                therapy.                                                cannot tolerate anesthesia or surgery because         lymphomas may produce intermittent
                                                   b. We will also request a description of the         of another impairment(s), or you have a               symptoms and signs. We may defer
                                                complications or adverse effects of therapy,            cancer that is too large or that has invaded          adjudicating these cases for an appropriate
                                                such as the following:                                  crucial structures. This term does not include        period after therapy is initiated to determine
                                                   i. Continuing gastrointestinal symptoms.             situations in which your cancer could have            whether the therapy will achieve its intended
                                                   ii. Persistent weakness.                             been surgically removed but another method            effect, which is usually to stabilize the
                                                   iii. Neurological complications.                     of treatment was chosen; for example, an              disease process. (See 13.00E3.) Once your
                                                   iv. Cardiovascular complications.                    attempt at organ preservation. Your                   disease stabilizes, we will assess severity
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                                                   v. Reactive mental disorders.                        physician may determine whether the cancer            based on the extent of involvement of other
                                                   3. Effects of therapy may change. The                is inoperable before or after you receive             organ systems and residuals from therapy.
                                                severity of the adverse effects of anticancer           neoadjuvant therapy. Neoadjuvant therapy is              b. A change in therapy for indolent
                                                therapy may change during treatment;                    anticancer therapy, such as chemotherapy or           lymphomas is usually an indicator that the
                                                therefore, enough time must pass to allow us            radiation, given before surgery in order to           therapy is not achieving its intended effect.
                                                to evaluate the therapy’s effect. The residual          reduce the size of the cancer.                        However, your impairment will not meet the
                                                effects of treatment are temporary in most                 3. Metastases means the spread of cancer           requirements of 13.05A2 if your therapy is
                                                instances; however, on occasion, the effects            cells by blood, lymph, or other body fluid.           changed solely because you or your



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                                                28828             Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 97 / Wednesday, May 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations

                                                physician chooses to change it and not                  lymphedema is edema that results from                 restrict our determination of the onset of
                                                because of a failure to achieve stability.              obstruction or destruction of normal                  disability to the date of the transplantation
                                                   c. We consider Hodgkin lymphoma that                 lymphatic channels. We may not restrict our           (13.05, 13.06, or 13.07) or the date of first
                                                recurs more than 12 months after completing             determination of the onset of disability to the       treatment under the treatment plan that
                                                initial anticancer therapy to be a new disease          date of the surgery; we may establish an              includes transplantation (13.28). We may be
                                                rather than a recurrence.                               earlier onset date of disability if the evidence      able to establish an earlier onset date of
                                                   2. Leukemia.                                         in your case record supports such a finding.          disability due to your transplantation if the
                                                   a. Acute leukemia. The initial diagnosis of             5. Carcinoma-in-situ. Carcinoma-in-situ, or        evidence in your case record supports such
                                                acute leukemia, including the accelerated or            preinvasive carcinoma, usually responds to            a finding.
                                                blast phase of chronic myelogenous                      treatment. When we use the term                          1. Acute leukemia (including T-cell
                                                (granulocytic) leukemia, is based on                    ‘‘carcinoma’’ in these listings, it does not          lymphoblastic lymphoma) or accelerated or
                                                definitive bone marrow examination.                     include carcinoma-in-situ.                            blast phase of CML. If you undergo bone
                                                Additional diagnostic information is based                 6. Primary central nervous system (CNS)            marrow or stem cell transplantation for any
                                                on chromosomal analysis, cytochemical and               cancers. We use the criteria in 13.13 to              of these disorders, we will consider you to
                                                surface marker studies on the abnormal cells,           evaluate cancers that originate within the            be disabled until at least 24 months from the
                                                or other methods consistent with the                    CNS (that is, brain and spinal cord cancers).         date of diagnosis or relapse, or at least 12
                                                prevailing state of medical knowledge and                  a. The CNS cancers listed in 13.13A1 are           months from the date of transplantation,
                                                clinical practice. Recurrent disease must be            highly malignant and respond poorly to                whichever is later.
                                                documented by peripheral blood, bone                    treatment, and therefore we do not require               2. Lymphoma, multiple myeloma, or
                                                marrow, or cerebrospinal fluid examination,             additional criteria to evaluate them. We do           chronic phase of CML. If you undergo bone
                                                or by testicular biopsy. The initial and                not list pituitary gland cancer (for example,         marrow or stem cell transplantation for any
                                                follow-up pathology reports should be                   pituitary gland carcinoma) in 13.13A1,                of these disorders, we will consider you to
                                                included.                                               although this CNS cancer is highly malignant          be disabled until at least 12 months from the
                                                   b. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).               and responds poorly to treatment. We                  date of transplantation.
                                                We need a diagnosis of CML based on                     evaluate pituitary gland cancer under                    3. Other cancers. We will evaluate any
                                                documented granulocytosis, including                    13.13A1 and do not require additional                 other cancer treated with bone marrow or
                                                immature forms such as differentiated or                criteria to evaluate it.                              stem cell transplantation under 13.28,
                                                undifferentiated myelocytes and myeloblasts,               b. We consider a CNS tumor to be                   regardless of whether there is another listing
                                                and a chromosomal analysis that                         malignant if it is classified as Grade II, Grade      that addresses that impairment. The length of
                                                demonstrates the Philadelphia chromosome.               III, or Grade IV under the World Health               time we will consider you to be disabled
                                                In the absence of a chromosomal analysis, or            Organization (WHO) classification of tumors           depends on whether you undergo allogeneic
                                                if the Philadelphia chromosome is not                   of the CNS (WHO Classification of Tumours             or autologous transplantation.
                                                present, the diagnosis may be made by other             of the Central Nervous System, 2007).                    a. Allogeneic bone marrow or stem cell
                                                methods consistent with the prevailing state               c. We evaluate benign (for example, WHO            transplantation. If you undergo allogeneic
                                                of medical knowledge and clinical practice.             Grade I) CNS tumors under 11.05. We                   transplantation (transplantation from an
                                                The requirement for CML in the accelerated              evaluate metastasized CNS cancers from non-           unrelated donor or a related donor other than
                                                or blast phase is met in 13.06B if laboratory           CNS sites under the primary cancers (see              an identical twin), we will consider you to
                                                findings show the proportion of blast                   13.00C). We evaluate any complications of             be disabled until at least 12 months from the
                                                (immature) cells in the peripheral blood or             CNS cancers, such as resultant neurological           date of transplantation.
                                                bone marrow is 10 percent or greater.                   or psychological impairments, under the                  b. Autologous bone marrow or stem cell
                                                   c. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.                     criteria for the affected body system.                transplantation. If you undergo autologous
                                                   i. We require the diagnosis of chronic                  7. Primary peritoneal carcinoma. We use            transplantation (transplantation of your own
                                                lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) to be                        the criteria in 13.23E to evaluate primary            cells or cells from your identical twin
                                                documented by evidence of a chronic                     peritoneal carcinoma in women because this            (syngeneic transplantation)), we will
                                                lymphocytosis of at least 10,000 cells/mm3              cancer is often indistinguishable from                consider you to be disabled until at least 12
                                                for 3 months or longer, or other acceptable             ovarian cancer and is generally treated the           months from the date of the first treatment
                                                diagnostic techniques consistent with the               same way as ovarian cancer. We use the                under the treatment plan that includes
                                                prevailing state of medical knowledge and               criteria in 13.15A to evaluate primary                transplantation. The first treatment usually
                                                clinical practice.                                      peritoneal carcinoma in men because many              refers to the initial therapy given to prepare
                                                   ii. We evaluate the complications and                of these cases are similar to malignant               you for transplantation.
                                                residual impairment(s) from CLL under the               mesothelioma.                                            4. Evaluating disability after the
                                                appropriate listings, such as 13.05A2 or the               8. Prostate cancer. We exclude                     appropriate time period has elapsed. We
                                                hematological listings (7.00).                          ‘‘biochemical recurrence’’ in 13.24A, which           consider any residual impairment(s), such as
                                                   d. Elevated white cell count. In cases of            is defined as an increase in the serum                complications arising from:
                                                chronic leukemia (either myelogenous or                 prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level                    a. Graft-versus-host (GVH) disease.
                                                lymphocytic), an elevated white cell count,             following the completion of the hormonal                 b. Immunosuppressant therapy, such as
                                                in itself, is not a factor in determining the           intervention therapy. We need corroborating           frequent infections.
                                                severity of the impairment.                             evidence to document recurrence, such as                 c. Significant deterioration of other organ
                                                   3. Macroglobulinemia or heavy chain                  radiological studies or findings on physical          systems.
                                                disease. We require the diagnosis of these              examination.                                          *        *      *     *   *
                                                diseases to be confirmed by protein                        9. Melanoma. We evaluate malignant                   13.02 Soft tissue cancers of the head and
                                                electrophoresis or immunoelectrophoresis.               melanoma that affects the skin (cutaneous             neck (except salivary glands—13.08—and
                                                We evaluate the resulting impairment(s)                 melanoma), eye (ocular melanoma), or                  thyroid gland—13.09).
                                                under the appropriate listings, such as                 mucosal membranes (mucosal melanoma)
                                                13.05A2 or the hematological listings (7.00).           under 13.29. We evaluate melanoma that is             *        *      *     *   *
                                                   4. Primary breast cancer.                            not malignant that affects the skin (benign             B. Persistent or recurrent disease following
                                                   a. We evaluate bilateral primary breast              melanocytic tumor) under the listings in 8.00         initial anticancer therapy, except persistence
                                                cancer (synchronous or metachronous) under              or other affected body systems.                       or recurrence in the true vocal cord.
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                                                13.10A, which covers local primary disease,                L. How do we evaluate cancer treated by            *        *      *     *   *
                                                and not as a primary disease that has                   bone marrow or stem cell transplantation,                D. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
                                                metastasized.                                           including transplantation using stem cells            OR
                                                   b. We evaluate secondary lymphedema that             from umbilical cord blood? Bone marrow or                E. Soft tissue cancers originating in the
                                                results from anticancer therapy for breast              stem cell transplantation is performed for a          head and neck treated with multimodal
                                                cancer under 13.10E if the lymphedema is                variety of cancers. We require the                    anticancer therapy (see 13.00E3c). Consider
                                                treated by surgery to salvage or restore the            transplantation to occur before we evaluate it        under a disability until at least 18 months
                                                functioning of an upper extremity. Secondary            under these listings. We do not need to               from the date of diagnosis. Thereafter,



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                                                                   Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 97 / Wednesday, May 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations                                               28829

                                                evaluate any residual impairment(s) under                treated the secondary lymphedema.                         13.20     Pancreas.
                                                the criteria for the affected body system.               Thereafter, evaluate any residual                     *        *      *     *    *
                                                  13.03 Skin (except malignant                           impairment(s) under the criteria for the                B. Islet cell carcinoma that is
                                                melanoma—13.29).                                         affected body system.                                 physiologically active and is either
                                                *       *     *       *      *                              13.11 Skeletal system—sarcoma.                     inoperable or unresectable.
                                                   B. Carcinoma invading deep extradermal                *      *      *      *       *                        *        *      *     *    *
                                                structures (for example, skeletal muscle,                  B. Recurrent cancer (except local                       13.22     Urinary bladder—carcinoma.
                                                cartilage, or bone).                                     recurrence) after initial anticancer therapy.
                                                   13.04 Soft tissue sarcoma.                                                                                  *        *      *     *    *
                                                                                                         *      *      *      *       *                           D. * * *
                                                *       *     *       *      *                              D. All other cancers originating in bone           OR
                                                  B. Persistent or recurrent following initial           with multimodal anticancer therapy (see                  E. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
                                                anticancer therapy.                                      13.00E3c). Consider under a disability for 12            13.23 Cancers of the female genital
                                                  13.05 Lymphoma (including mycosis                      months from the date of diagnosis.                    tract—carcinoma or sarcoma (including
                                                fungoides, but excluding T-cell                          Thereafter, evaluate any residual                     primary peritoneal carcinoma).
                                                lymphoblastic lymphoma—13.06). (See                      impairment(s) under the criteria for the                 A. * * *
                                                13.00K1 and 13.00K2c.)                                   affected body system.                                    3. Persistent or recurrent following initial
                                                  A. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, as described                     13.12 Maxilla, orbit, or temporal fossa.           anticancer therapy.
                                                in 1 or 2:                                               *      *      *      *       *                           B. Uterine cervix, as described in 1, 2, or
                                                  1. Aggressive lymphoma (including diffuse                C. Cancer with extension to the orbit,              3:
                                                large B-cell lymphoma) persistent or                     meninges, sinuses, or base of the skull.                 1. Extending to the pelvic wall, lower
                                                recurrent following initial anticancer                     13.13 Nervous system. (See 13.00K6.)                portion of the vagina, or adjacent or distant
                                                therapy.                                                   A. Primary central nervous system (CNS;             organs.
                                                  2. Indolent lymphoma (including mycosis                that is, brain and spinal cord) cancers, as              2. Persistent or recurrent following initial
                                                fungoides and follicular small cleaved cell)             described in 1, 2, or 3:                              anticancer therapy.
                                                requiring initiation of more than one (single              1. Glioblastoma multiforme,                            3. With metastases to distant (for example,
                                                mode or multimodal) anticancer treatment                 ependymoblastoma, and diffuse intrinsic               para-aortic or supraclavicular) lymph nodes.
                                                regimen within a period of 12 consecutive                brain stem gliomas (see 13.00K6a).                       C. * * *
                                                months. Consider under a disability from at                2. Any Grade III or Grade IV CNS cancer                3. Persistent or recurrent following initial
                                                least the date of initiation of the treatment            (see 13.00K6b), including astrocytomas,               anticancer therapy.
                                                regimen that failed within 12 months.                    sarcomas, and medulloblastoma and other                  D. * * *
                                                OR                                                       primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs).                2. Persistent or recurrent following initial
                                                  B. Hodgkin lymphoma with failure to                      3. Any primary CNS cancer, as described             anticancer therapy.
                                                achieve clinically complete remission, or                in a or b:                                               E. Ovaries, as described in 1 or 2:
                                                recurrent lymphoma within 12 months of                     a. Metastatic.                                         1. All cancers except germ-cell cancers,
                                                completing initial anticancer therapy.                     b. Progressive or recurrent following initial       with at least one of the following:
                                                *       *     *       *      *                           anticancer therapy.                                      a. Extension beyond the pelvis; for
                                                OR                                                       OR                                                    example, implants on, or direct extension to,
                                                 D. Mantle cell lymphoma.                                  B. Primary peripheral nerve or spinal root          peritoneal, omental, or bowel surfaces.
                                                 13.06 Leukemia. (See 13.00K2.)                          cancers, as described in 1 or 2:                         b. Metastases to or beyond the regional
                                                                                                           1. Metastatic.                                      lymph nodes.
                                                *       *     *       *      *                             2. Progressive or recurrent following initial
                                                  B. * * *                                                                                                        c. Recurrent following initial anticancer
                                                                                                         anticancer therapy.                                   therapy.
                                                  1. Accelerated or blast phase (see                       13.14 Lungs.
                                                13.00K2b). * * *                                                                                                  2. Germ-cell cancers—progressive or
                                                                                                         *      *      *      *       *                        recurrent following initial anticancer
                                                *       *     *       *      *                              C. Carcinoma of the superior sulcus                therapy.
                                                    2. Chronic phase, as described in a or b:            (including Pancoast tumors) with multimodal           OR
                                                *       *     *       *      *                           anticancer therapy (see 13.00E3c). * * *                 F. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
                                                  b. Progressive disease following initial               *      *      *      *       *                           13.24 Prostate gland—carcinoma.
                                                anticancer therapy.                                          13.15   Pleura or mediastinum.                       A. Progressive or recurrent (not including
                                                  13.07 Multiple myeloma (confirmed by                                                                         biochemical recurrence) despite initial
                                                appropriate serum or urine protein                       *      *      *      *       *                        hormonal intervention. (See 13.00K8.)
                                                electrophoresis and bone marrow findings).                 B. * * *                                            OR
                                                  A. Failure to respond or progressive                     2. Persistent or recurrent following initial           B. * * *
                                                disease following initial anticancer therapy.            anticancer therapy.                                   OR
                                                                                                         OR                                                       C. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
                                                *       *     *       *      *                             C. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
                                                  13.10 Breast (except sarcoma—13.04).                                                                            13.25 Testicles—cancer with metastatic
                                                                                                           13.16 Esophagus or stomach.                         disease progressive or recurrent following
                                                (See 13.00K4.)
                                                  A. Locally advanced cancer (inflammatory               *      *      *      *       *                        initial chemotherapy.
                                                carcinoma, cancer of any size with direct                  B. * * *                                            *        *      *     *    *
                                                extension to the chest wall or skin, or cancer           OR                                                      13.28 Cancer treated by bone marrow or
                                                of any size with metastases to the ipsilateral             C. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.                 stem cell transplantation. (See 13.00L.)
                                                internal mammary nodes).                                   13.17 Small intestine—carcinoma,
                                                                                                         sarcoma, or carcinoid.                                *        *      *     *    *
                                                *       *     *       *      *                                                                                    13.29 Malignant melanoma (including
                                                  C. Recurrent carcinoma, except local                   *      *      *      *       *                        skin, ocular, or mucosal melanomas), as
                                                recurrence that remits with anticancer                     B. * * *                                            described in either A, B, or C:
                                                therapy.                                                 OR                                                       A. Recurrent (except an additional primary
                                                OR                                                         C. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.                 melanoma at a different site, which is not
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                                                  D. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.                      13.18 Large intestine (from ileocecal               considered to be recurrent disease) following
                                                OR                                                       valve to and including anal canal).                   either 1 or 2:
                                                  E. With secondary lymphedema that is                   *      *      *      *       *                           1. Wide excision (skin melanoma).
                                                caused by anticancer therapy and treated by                 C. * * *                                              2. Enucleation of the eye (ocular
                                                surgery to salvage or restore the functioning            OR                                                    melanoma).
                                                of an upper extremity. (See 13.00K4b.)                      D. Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.                OR
                                                Consider under a disability until at least 12               13.19 Liver or gallbladder—cancer of the              B. With metastases as described in 1, 2, or
                                                months from the date of the surgery that                 liver, gallbladder, or bile ducts.                    3:



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                                                28830             Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 97 / Wednesday, May 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations

                                                  1. Metastases to one or more clinically               meets the requirements of a listing.                  may vary widely. We will request a specific
                                                apparent nodes; that is, nodes that are                 Exceptions are for cancer with distant                description of the therapy, including these
                                                detected by imaging studies (excluding                  metastases that we expect to respond to               items:
                                                lymphoscintigraphy) or by clinical                      anticancer therapy. For these exceptions, we             i. Drugs given.
                                                evaluation (palpable).                                  usually need a longitudinal record of 3                  ii. Dosage.
                                                  2. If the nodes are not clinically apparent,          months after therapy starts to determine                 iii. Frequency of drug administration.
                                                with metastases to four or more nodes.                  whether the therapy achieved its intended                iv. Plans for continued drug
                                                  3. Metastases to adjacent skin (satellite             effect, and whether this effect is likely to          administration.
                                                lesions) or distant sites (for example, liver,          persist.                                                 v. Extent of surgery.
                                                lung, or brain).                                           2. Other cancers. When there are no distant           vi. Schedule and fields of radiation
                                                OR                                                      metastases, many of the listings require that         therapy.
                                                  C. Mucosal melanoma.                                  we consider your response to initial                     b. We will also request a description of the
                                                                                                        anticancer therapy; that is, the initial              complications or adverse effects of therapy,
                                                *      *     *       *      *
                                                                                                        planned treatment regimen. This therapy               such as the following:
                                                Part B                                                  may consist of a single modality or a                    i. Continuing gastrointestinal symptoms.
                                                *      *     *       *      *                           combination of modalities; that is,                      ii. Persistent weakness.
                                                                                                        multimodal therapy (see 113.00I3).                       iii. Neurological complications.
                                                113.00 Cancer (Malignant Neoplastic                        3. Types of treatment.                                iv. Cardiovascular complications.
                                                Diseases)                                                  a. Whenever the initial planned therapy is            v. Reactive mental disorders.
                                                *      *     *       *      *                           a single modality, enough time must pass to              3. Effects of therapy may change. The
                                                                                                        allow a determination about whether the               severity of the adverse effects of anticancer
                                                113.00 CANCER (MALIGNANT                                therapy will achieve its intended effect. If the      therapy may change during treatment;
                                                NEOPLASTIC DISEASES)                                    treatment fails, the failure often happens            therefore, enough time must pass to allow us
                                                   A. What impairments do these listings                within 6 months after treatment starts, and           to evaluate the therapy’s effect. The residual
                                                cover? We use these listings to evaluate all            there will often be a change in the treatment         effects of treatment are temporary in most
                                                cancers (malignant neoplastic diseases),                regimen.                                              instances; however, on occasion, the effects
                                                except certain cancers associated with                     b. Whenever the initial planned therapy is         may be disabling for a consecutive period of
                                                human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)                      multimodal, we usually cannot make a                  at least 12 months. In some situations, very
                                                infection. If you have HIV infection, we use            determination about the effectiveness of the          serious adverse effects may interrupt and
                                                the criteria in 114.08E to evaluate carcinoma           therapy until we can determine the effects of         prolong multimodal anticancer therapy for a
                                                                                                        all the planned modalities. In some cases, we         continuous period of almost 12 months. In
                                                of the cervix, Kaposi sarcoma, lymphoma,
                                                                                                                                                              these situations, we may determine there is
                                                and squamous cell carcinoma of the anal                 may need to defer adjudication until we can
                                                                                                                                                              an expectation that your impairment will
                                                canal and anal margin.                                  assess the effectiveness of therapy. However,
                                                                                                                                                              preclude you from engaging in any age-
                                                   B. What do we consider when we evaluate              we do not need to defer adjudication to
                                                                                                                                                              appropriate activities for at least 12 months.
                                                cancer under these listings? We will consider           determine whether the therapy will achieve
                                                                                                                                                                 4. When the initial anticancer therapy is
                                                factors including:                                      its intended effect if we can make a fully            effective. We evaluate any post-therapeutic
                                                   1. Origin of the cancer.                             favorable determination or decision based on          residual impairment(s) not included in these
                                                   2. Extent of involvement.                            the length and effects of therapy, or the             listings under the criteria for the affected
                                                   3. Duration, frequency, and response to              residuals of the cancer or therapy (see               body system. We must consider any
                                                anticancer therapy.                                     113.00G).                                             complications of therapy. When the residual
                                                   4. Effects of any post-therapeutic residuals.           F. How do we evaluate impairments that             impairment(s) does not meet a listing, we
                                                   C. How do we apply these listings? We                do not meet one of the cancer listings?               must consider whether it medically equals a
                                                apply the criteria in a specific listing to a              1. These listings are only examples of             listing, or, as appropriate, functionally equals
                                                cancer originating from that specific site.             cancers that we consider severe enough to             the listings.
                                                   D. What evidence do we need?                         result in marked and severe functional                   H. How long do we consider your
                                                   1. We need medical evidence that specifies           limitations. If your severe impairment(s) does        impairment to be disabling?
                                                the type, extent, and site of the primary,              not meet the criteria of any of these listings,          1. In some listings, we specify that we will
                                                recurrent, or metastatic lesion. When the               we must also consider whether you have an             consider your impairment to be disabling
                                                primary site cannot be identified, we will use          impairment(s) that meets the criteria of a            until a particular point in time (for example,
                                                evidence documenting the site(s) of                     listing in another body system.                       until at least 12 months from the date of
                                                metastasis to evaluate the impairment under                2. If you have a severe medically                  transplantation). We may consider your
                                                13.27 in part A.                                        determinable impairment(s) that does not              impairment to be disabling beyond this point
                                                   2. For operative procedures, including a             meet a listing, we will determine whether             when the medical and other evidence
                                                biopsy or a needle aspiration, we generally             your impairment(s) medically equals a                 justifies it.
                                                need a copy of both the:                                listing. (See §§ 404.1526 and 416.926 of this            2. When a listing does not contain such a
                                                   a. Operative note, and                               chapter.) If your impairment(s) does not meet         specification, we will consider an
                                                   b. Pathology report.                                 or medically equal a listing, we will also            impairment(s) that meets or medically equals
                                                   3. When we cannot get these documents,               consider whether you have an impairment(s)            a listing in this body system to be disabling
                                                we will accept the summary of                           that functionally equals the listings. (See           until at least 3 years after onset of complete
                                                hospitalization(s) or other medical reports.            § 416.926a of this chapter.) We use the rules         remission. When the impairment(s) has been
                                                This evidence should include details of the             in § 416.994a of this chapter when we decide          in complete remission for at least 3 years,
                                                findings at surgery and, whenever                       whether you continue to be disabled.                  that is, the original tumor or a recurrence (or
                                                appropriate, the pathological findings.                    G. How do we consider the effects of               relapse) and any metastases have not been
                                                   4. In some situations, we may also need              anticancer therapy?                                   evident for at least 3 years, the impairment(s)
                                                evidence about recurrence, persistence, or                 1. How we consider the effects of                  will no longer meet or medically equal the
                                                progression of the cancer, the response to              anticancer therapy under the listings. In             criteria of a listing in this body system.
                                                therapy, and any significant residuals. (See            many cases, cancers meet listing criteria only           3. Following the appropriate period, we
                                                113.00G.)                                               if the therapy is not effective and the cancer        will consider any residuals, including
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                                                   E. When do we need longitudinal evidence?            persists, progresses, or recurs. However, as          residuals of the cancer or therapy (see
                                                   1. Cancer with distant metastases. Most              explained in the following paragraphs, we             113.00G), in determining whether you are
                                                cancer of childhood consists of a local lesion          will not delay adjudication if we can make            disabled. If you have a recurrence or relapse
                                                with metastases to regional lymph nodes and,            a fully favorable determination or decision           of your cancer, your impairment may meet or
                                                less often, distant metastases. We generally            based on the evidence in the case record.             medically equal one of the listings in this
                                                do not need longitudinal evidence for cancer               2. Effects can vary widely.                        body system again.
                                                that has metastasized beyond the regional                  a. We consider each case on an individual             I. What do we mean by the following
                                                lymph nodes because this cancer usually                 basis because the therapy and its toxicity            terms?



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                                                                  Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 97 / Wednesday, May 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations                                              28831

                                                   1. Anticancer therapy means surgery,                 documented granulocytosis, including                     L. How do we evaluate cancer treated by
                                                radiation, chemotherapy, hormones,                      immature forms such as differentiated or              bone marrow or stem cell transplantation,
                                                immunotherapy, or bone marrow or stem cell              undifferentiated myelocytes and myeloblasts,          including transplantation using stem cells
                                                transplantation. When we refer to surgery as            and a chromosomal analysis that                       from umbilical cord blood? Bone marrow or
                                                an anticancer treatment, we mean surgical               demonstrates the Philadelphia chromosome.             stem cell transplantation is performed for a
                                                excision for treatment, not for diagnostic              In the absence of a chromosomal analysis, or          variety of cancers. We require the
                                                purposes.                                               if the Philadelphia chromosome is not                 transplantation to occur before we evaluate it
                                                   2. Metastases means the spread of cancer             present, the diagnosis may be made by other           under these listings. We do not need to
                                                cells by blood, lymph, or other body fluid.             methods consistent with the prevailing state          restrict our determination of the onset of
                                                This term does not include the spread of                of medical knowledge and clinical practice.           disability to the date of transplantation
                                                cancer cells by direct extension of the cancer          The requirement for CML in the accelerated            (113.05 or 113.06). We may be able to
                                                to other tissues or organs.                             or blast phase is met in 113.06B if laboratory        establish an earlier onset date of disability
                                                   3. Multimodal therapy means anticancer               findings show the proportion of blast                 due to your transplantation if the evidence in
                                                therapy that is a combination of at least two           (immature) cells in the peripheral blood or           your case record supports such a finding.
                                                types of treatment given in close proximity             bone marrow is 10 percent or greater.                    1. Acute leukemia (including all types of
                                                as a unified whole and usually planned                     c. Juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia           lymphoblastic lymphomas and JCML) or
                                                before any treatment has begun. There are               (JCML). JCML is a rare, Philadelphia-                 accelerated or blast phase of CML. If you
                                                three types of treatment modalities: Surgery,           chromosome-negative childhood leukemia                undergo bone marrow or stem cell
                                                radiation, and systemic drug therapy                    that is aggressive and clinically similar to          transplantation for any of these disorders, we
                                                (chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and                     acute myelogenous leukemia. We evaluate               will consider you to be disabled until at least
                                                immunotherapy or biological modifier                    JCML under 113.06A.                                   24 months from the date of diagnosis or
                                                therapy). Examples of multimodal therapy                   d. Elevated white cell count. In cases of          relapse, or at least 12 months from the date
                                                include:                                                chronic leukemia (either myelogenous or               of transplantation, whichever is later.
                                                   a. Surgery followed by chemotherapy or               lymphocytic), an elevated white cell count,              2. Lymphoma or chronic phase of CML. If
                                                radiation.                                              in itself, is not a factor in determining the         you undergo bone marrow or stem cell
                                                   b. Chemotherapy followed by surgery.                 severity of the impairment.                           transplantation for any of these disorders, we
                                                   c. Chemotherapy and concurrent radiation.               3. Malignant solid tumors. The tumors we           will consider you to be disabled until at least
                                                   4. Persistent means the planned initial              consider under 113.03 include the                     12 months from the date of transplantation.
                                                anticancer therapy failed to achieve a                  histiocytosis syndromes except for solitary              3. Evaluating disability after the
                                                complete remission of your cancer; that is,             eosinophilic granuloma. We do not evaluate            appropriate time period has elapsed. We
                                                your cancer is evident, even if smaller, after          thyroid cancer (see 113.09), retinoblastomas          consider any residual impairment(s), such as
                                                the therapy has ended.                                  (see 113.12), primary central nervous system          complications arising from:
                                                   5. Progressive means the cancer becomes              (CNS) cancers (see 113.13), neuroblastomas               a. Graft-versus-host (GVH) disease.
                                                more extensive after treatment; that is, there          (see 113.21), or malignant melanoma (see                 b. Immunosuppressant therapy, such as
                                                is evidence that your cancer is growing after           113.29) under this listing.                           frequent infections.
                                                you have completed at least half of your                   4. Primary central nervous system (CNS)               c. Significant deterioration of other organ
                                                planned initial anticancer therapy.                     cancers. We use the criteria in 113.13 to             systems.
                                                   6. Recurrent or relapse means the cancer             evaluate cancers that originate within the               113.01 Category of Impairments, Cancer
                                                that was in complete remission or entirely              CNS (that is, brain and spinal cord cancers).         (Malignant Neoplastic Diseases)
                                                removed by surgery has returned.                           a. The CNS cancers listed in 113.13A are              113.03 Malignant solid tumors. Consider
                                                   J. Can we establish the existence of a               highly malignant and respond poorly to                under a disability:
                                                disabling impairment prior to the date of the           treatment, and therefore we do not require               A. For 24 months from the date of initial
                                                evidence that shows the cancer satisfies the            additional criteria to evaluate them. We do           diagnosis. Thereafter, evaluate any residual
                                                criteria of a listing? Yes. We will consider            not list pituitary gland cancer (for example,         impairment(s) under the criteria for the
                                                factors such as:                                        pituitary gland carcinoma) in 113.13A,                affected body system.
                                                   1. The type of cancer and its location.              although this CNS cancer is highly malignant          OR
                                                   2. The extent of involvement when the                and responds poorly to treatment. We                     B. For 24 months from the date of
                                                cancer was first demonstrated.                          evaluate pituitary gland cancer under                 recurrence of active disease. Thereafter,
                                                   3. Your symptoms.                                    113.13A and do not require additional                 evaluate any residual impairment(s) under
                                                   K. How do we evaluate specific cancers?              criteria to evaluate it.                              the criteria for the affected body system.
                                                   1. Lymphoma.                                            b. We consider a CNS tumor to be                      113.05 Lymphoma (excluding all types of
                                                   a. We provide criteria for evaluating                malignant if it is classified as Grade II, Grade      lymphoblastic lymphomas—113.06). (See
                                                lymphomas that are disseminated or have not             III, or Grade IV under the World Health               113.00K1.)
                                                responded to anticancer therapy in 113.05.              Organization (WHO) classification of tumors              A. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (including
                                                   b. Lymphoblastic lymphoma is treated                 of the CNS (WHO Classification of Tumours             Burkitt’s and anaplastic large cell), with
                                                with leukemia-based protocols, so we                    of the Central Nervous System, 2007).                 either 1 or 2:
                                                evaluate this type of cancer under 113.06.                 c. We evaluate benign (for example, WHO               1. Bone marrow, brain, spinal cord, liver,
                                                   2. Leukemia.                                         Grade I) CNS tumors under 111.05. We                  or lung involvement at initial diagnosis.
                                                   a. Acute leukemia. The initial diagnosis of          evaluate metastasized CNS cancers from non-           Consider under a disability for 24 months
                                                acute leukemia, including the accelerated or            CNS sites under the primary cancers (see              from the date of diagnosis. Thereafter,
                                                blast phase of chronic myelogenous                      113.00C). We evaluate any complications of            evaluate under 113.05A2, or any residual
                                                (granulocytic) leukemia, is based on                    CNS cancers, such as resultant neurological           impairments(s) under the criteria for the
                                                definitive bone marrow examination.                     or psychological impairments, under the               affected body system.
                                                Additional diagnostic information is based              criteria for the affected body system.                   2. Persistent or recurrent following initial
                                                on chromosomal analysis, cytochemical and                  5. Retinoblastoma. The treatment for               anticancer therapy.
                                                surface marker studies on the abnormal cells,           bilateral retinoblastoma usually results in a         OR
                                                or other methods consistent with the                    visual impairment. We will evaluate any                  B. Hodgkin lymphoma, with either 1 or 2:
                                                prevailing state of medical knowledge and               resulting visual impairment under 102.02.                1. Bone marrow, brain, spinal cord, liver,
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                                                clinical practice. Recurrent disease must be               6. Melanoma. We evaluate malignant                 or lung involvement at initial diagnosis.
                                                documented by peripheral blood, bone                    melanoma that affects the skin (cutaneous             Consider under a disability for 24 months
                                                marrow, or cerebrospinal fluid examination,             melanoma), eye (ocular melanoma), or                  from the date of diagnosis. Thereafter,
                                                or by testicular biopsy. The initial and                mucosal membranes (mucosal melanoma)                  evaluate under 113.05B2, or any residual
                                                follow-up pathology reports should be                   under 113.29. We evaluate melanoma that is            impairment(s) under the criteria for the
                                                included.                                               not malignant that affects the skin (benign           affected body system.
                                                   b. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).               melanocytic tumor) under the listings in                 2. Persistent or recurrent following initial
                                                We need a diagnosis of CML based on                     108.00 or other affected body systems.                anticancer therapy.



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                                                28832              Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 97 / Wednesday, May 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations

                                                OR                                                       detected by imaging studies (excluding                   This amendment provides notice that
                                                *      *      *       *      *                           lymphoscintigraphy) or by clinical                    the DAJAG (Admiralty and Maritime
                                                OR                                                       evaluation (palpable).                                Law), under authority delegated by the
                                                   D. Mantle cell lymphoma.                                2. If the nodes are not clinically apparent,
                                                                                                                                                               Secretary of the Navy, has certified that
                                                   113.06 Leukemia. (See 113.00K2.)                      with metastases to four or more nodes.
                                                                                                           3. Metastases to adjacent skin (satellite           USS PRINCETON (CG 59) is a vessel of
                                                   A. Acute leukemia (including all types of                                                                   the Navy which, due to its special
                                                lymphoblastic lymphomas and juvenile                     lesions) or distant sites (for example, liver,
                                                chronic myelogenous leukemia (JCML)).                    lung, or brain).                                      construction and purpose, cannot fully
                                                Consider under a disability until at least 24            OR                                                    comply with the following specific
                                                months from the date of diagnosis or relapse,              C. Mucosal melanoma.                                provisions of 72 COLREGS without
                                                or at least 12 months from the date of bone              *      *     *       *       *                        interfering with its special function as a
                                                marrow or stem cell transplantation,                                                                           naval ship: Annex I, paragraph 3(a),
                                                                                                         [FR Doc. 2015–11923 Filed 5–19–15; 8:45 am]
                                                whichever is later. Thereafter, evaluate any                                                                   pertaining to the horizontal distance
                                                residual impairment(s) under the criteria for            BILLING CODE 4191–02–P
                                                                                                                                                               between the forward and after masthead
                                                the affected body system.
                                                OR
                                                                                                                                                               lights. The DAJAG (Admiralty and
                                                   B. * * *                                                                                                    Maritime Law) has also certified that the
                                                                                                         DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE                                 lights involved are located in closest
                                                   1. Accelerated or blast phase (see
                                                113.00K2b). Consider under a disability until            Department of the Navy                                possible compliance with the applicable
                                                at least 24 months from the date of diagnosis                                                                  72 COLREGS requirements.
                                                or relapse, or at least 12 months from the date
                                                of bone marrow or stem cell transplantation,             32 CFR Part 706                                          Moreover, it has been determined, in
                                                whichever is later. Thereafter, evaluate any                                                                   accordance with 32 CFR parts 296 and
                                                residual impairment(s) under the criteria for            Certifications and Exemptions Under                   701, that publication of this amendment
                                                the affected body system.                                the International Regulations for                     for public comment prior to adoption is
                                                *      *      *       *      *                           Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972                    impracticable, unnecessary, and
                                                    113.12   Retinoblastoma.                             AGENCY:     Department of the Navy, DoD.              contrary to public interest since it is
                                                *      *      *       *      *                                                                                 based on technical findings that the
                                                                                                         ACTION:    Final rule.                                placement of lights on this vessel in a
                                                  B. Persistent or recurrent following initial
                                                anticancer therapy.                                      SUMMARY:    The Department of the Navy                manner differently from that prescribed
                                                *      *      *       *      *                           (DoN) is amending its certifications and              herein will adversely affect the vessel’s
                                                  113.13 Nervous system. (See 113.00K4.)                 exemptions under the International                    ability to perform its military functions.
                                                Primary central nervous system (CNS; that is,            Regulations for Preventing Collisions at
                                                brain and spinal cord) cancers, as described                                                                   List of Subjects in 32 CFR Part 706
                                                                                                         Sea, 1972, as amended (72 COLREGS),
                                                in A, B, or C:
                                                  A. Glioblastoma multiforme,                            to reflect that the Deputy Assistant                    Marine safety, Navigation (water),
                                                ependymoblastoma, and diffuse intrinsic                  Judge Advocate General (DAJAG)                        Vessels.
                                                brain stem gliomas (see 113.00K4a).                      (Admiralty and Maritime Law) has
                                                  B. Any Grade III or Grade IV CNS cancer                determined that USS PRINCETON (CG                        For the reasons set forth in the
                                                (see 113.00K4b), including astrocytomas,                 59) is a vessel of the Navy which, due                preamble, the DoN amends part 706 of
                                                sarcomas, and medulloblastoma and other                  to its special construction and purpose,              title 32 of the Code of Federal
                                                primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs).                cannot fully comply with certain                      Regulations as follows:
                                                  C. Any primary CNS cancer, as described
                                                in 1 or 2:
                                                                                                         provisions of the 72 COLREGS without
                                                                                                                                                               PART 706—CERTIFICATIONS AND
                                                  1. Metastatic.                                         interfering with its special function as a
                                                                                                                                                               EXEMPTIONS UNDER THE
                                                  2. Progressive or recurrent following initial          naval ship. The intended effect of this
                                                                                                                                                               INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS FOR
                                                anticancer therapy.                                      rule is to warn mariners in waters where
                                                                                                                                                               PREVENTING COLLISIONS AT SEA,
                                                *      *      *       *      *                           72 COLREGS apply.
                                                                                                                                                               1972
                                                   113.29 Malignant melanoma (including                  DATES: This rule is effective May 20,
                                                skin, ocular, or mucosal melanomas), as                  2015 and is applicable beginning May
                                                described in either A, B, or C:                                                                                ■ 1. The authority citation for part 706
                                                                                                         11, 2015.
                                                   A. Recurrent (except an additional primary                                                                  continues to read as follows:
                                                melanoma at a different site, which is not               FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                                                                         Commander Theron R. Korsak,                               Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1605.
                                                considered to be recurrent disease) following
                                                either 1 or 2:                                           (Admiralty and Maritime Law), Office of               ■ 2. Section 706.2 is amended in Table
                                                   1. Wide excision (skin melanoma).                     the Judge Advocate General, Department                Five by revising the entry for USS
                                                   2. Enucleation of the eye (ocular                     of the Navy, 1322 Patterson Ave. SE.,
                                                melanoma).                                                                                                     PRINCETON (CG 59) to read as follows:
                                                                                                         Suite 3000, Washington Navy Yard, DC
                                                OR                                                       20374–5066, telephone 202–685–5040.
                                                   B. With metastases as described in 1, 2, or                                                                 § 706.2 Certifications of the Secretary of
                                                3:                                                       SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant                   the Navy under Executive Order 11964 and
                                                   1. Metastases to one or more clinically               to the authority granted in 33 U.S.C.                 33 U.S.C. 1605.
                                                apparent nodes; that is, nodes that are                  1605, the DoN amends 32 CFR part 706.                 *        *      *     *   *
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES




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Document Created: 2018-02-21 10:29:51
Document Modified: 2018-02-21 10:29:51
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionFinal rule.
DatesThis rule is effective July 20, 2015.
ContactCheryl A. Williams, Office of Medical Policy, Social Security Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21235-6401, (410) 965-1020. For information on eligibility or filing for benefits, call our national toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213, or TTY 1-800-325-0778, or visit our Internet site, Social Security Online, at http://www.socialsecurity.gov.
FR Citation80 FR 28821 
RIN Number0960-AH43
CFR AssociatedAdministrative Practice and Procedure; Blind; Disability Benefits; Old-Age; Survivors; Disability Insurance; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements and Social Security

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