Skin Cancer — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
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The DBQ for Skin Cancer
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960F-2 (Skin Diseases) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about Skin Cancer — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Skin Cancer, based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for Skin Cancer
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.118, DC 7818 (malignant skin neoplasms other than melanoma) and DC 7833 (malignant melanoma). Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
Skin malignancy treated by local means (e.g., excision confined to the skin) with no active disease is rated on residuals as scars (DC 7801-7805), disfigurement of the head, face, or neck (DC 7800), or impairment of function, which may be 0 percent if minimal.
Residual scars or disfigurement rated under the scar codes (for example, one or two painful or unstable scars, DC 7804; or one characteristic of disfigurement of the head, face, or neck, DC 7800).
Assigned from the date of onset when the malignancy requires therapy comparable to that used for systemic cancers (systemic chemotherapy, X-ray therapy more extensive than to the skin, or surgery more extensive than wide local excision). Continues with a mandatory VA examination six months after treatment ends; if no recurrence or metastasis, rated thereafter on residuals. Treatment confined to the skin does not qualify for the 100% rating.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Skin Cancer raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
10%
New monthly
$180
Change
+$180
Rates shown are the 2026 veteran-alone amounts (no dependents). VA combines ratings with "whole-person" math and rounds to the nearest 10, so adding a condition does not simply add its percentage. Full combined-rating calculator with dependents →
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a Skin Cancer claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2018 · PMID 29291955
Finding: Systematic review of 9 studies found an increased risk of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer associated with military service, with the highest rates in the Air Force and elevated incidence among those who served in tropical environments. Authors attributed the excess to high occupational sun exposure and inadequate sun protection during service.
Why it helps: A peer-reviewed systematic review supporting an association between U.S. military service and higher skin cancer risk, directly useful for framing service-connection arguments for active duty and veteran populations.
Military Medicine, 2014 · PMID 24594457
Finding: Active duty military personnel had higher melanoma incidence than the U.S. general population (incidence rate ratio 1.62, 95% CI 1.40-1.86), with white service members at 36.89 vs 23.05 per 100,000 person-years and Air Force personnel showing the highest rates.
Why it helps: Provides a hard, population-comparison statistic supporting an association between active duty service and elevated melanoma risk.
Environmental Health, 2017 · PMID 28814301
Finding: Among pilots, standardized incidence ratios were 3.31 (95% CI 1.33-6.81) for malignant melanoma and 2.49 (95% CI 1.69-3.54) for basal cell carcinoma, with risk rising with cumulative flight hours and radiation dose; melanoma reached a relative risk of 9.88 in the highest cumulative-dose category.
Why it helps: Supports an association between aviation occupational exposures (UV and cosmic radiation at altitude) and skin cancer, relevant to military pilots and aircrew.
- Association between Agent Orange exposure and nonmelanotic invasive skin cancer: a pilot studyDirect
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2014 · PMID 24469173
Finding: In 100 male Veterans Affairs Agent Orange registry patients, the nonmelanoma invasive skin cancer rate was 51% versus a national age-matched rate of 23.8% (p < 0.001), with higher rates among those who actively sprayed the herbicide and those with chloracne.
Why it helps: Supports an association between Agent Orange (TCDD/dioxin) exposure and nonmelanoma skin cancer in veterans, useful for an exposure-based nexus, though it is a small pilot study without a formal relative-risk calculation.
BMC Medicine, 2022 · nexus to hypertension (hydrochlorothiazide/thiazide diuretic medication) · PMID 35794547
Finding: Across roughly 17.8 million participants, hydrochlorothiazide use was associated with increased risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer (OR 1.16), squamous cell carcinoma (OR 1.32), and melanoma (OR 1.11), with the SCC risk rising to OR 2.56 at high cumulative doses.
Why it helps: Supports a secondary-service-connection theory in which skin cancer arises from photosensitizing hydrochlorothiazide prescribed for service-connected hypertension; risk is dose-dependent.
Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters, 2007 · nexus to burn injuries / chronic scars and wounds · PMID 21991095
Finding: In a series of 48 patients with Marjolin's ulcer, all malignancies were squamous cell carcinoma arising in chronically inflamed burn scars, most often on the scalp (33%) and lower limb (29%), with a 33% local recurrence rate that was uniformly fatal.
Why it helps: Supports a secondary-nexus theory that squamous cell skin cancer can develop in old burn scars and chronic wounds, relevant for veterans with service-connected burns or non-healing injuries; this is a single-center case series without a comparison group.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
Secondary Conditions Linked to Skin Cancer
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Skin Cancer. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Related Guides
Filing a Skin Cancerclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Skin Cancer should also be looking at:
Quick calculator
Estimate your combined rating →
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Health care
Estimate your VA Priority Group →
Priority Group 1-8 determines what care you get and what it costs. Service-connected = lower copays, full access.
Where you live
Compare 50 state veteran benefits →
State property tax exemptions for SC vets vary 10x. Some states fully exempt 100%-rated vets, others give nothing.
Home buying
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ANY service-connected rating waives the funding fee. On a $400K loan that's ~$8,600 saved.
Draft your Skin Cancer personal statement
7-step wizard that builds your VA claim personal statement using your own words. Detects presumptive eligibility, cites 38 CFR + DBQ, includes federal-crime disclosure. You review and edit before filing.
Start draftingNot legal or medical advice. Always have a VSO or accredited rep review before filing.
Start Your Skin Cancer VA Claim
Use our free Claims Builder to organize your Skin Cancer evidence, track your claim status, and prepare for your C&P exam. No coaching fees — just tools.
Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Skin Cancer.
Skin Cancer Claim Guide by State
Find state-specific VA facilities, veteran benefits, and filing resources.
More free tools
Educational content, not professional advice
This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.
MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.