Squamous cell skin cancer

For the 100 percent treatment-based rating, records that document the type of treatment matter most. Oncology or surgery notes showing that you received systemic chemotherapy, radiation extending beyond the skin, or surgery more extensive than wide local excision directly support that level. Records showing the start and end dates of that treatment help establish when the rating begins and when the six-month post-treatment exam is due. Follow-up notes addressing whether there has been any recurrence or metastasis are relevant to what happens after that exam.

For residual ratings under the disfigurement and scar diagnostic codes, exam findings and photographs are central. Unretouched color photographs are specifically considered when evaluating head, face, or neck disfigurement. Measurements of scar length, width, and area; notes on whether a scar is elevated, depressed, adherent, or indurated; and documentation of pigmentation or texture changes over specific surface areas all map directly to the rating criteria. For unstable or painful scars, records showing frequent loss of skin covering or consistent reports of scar pain, including your own statements describing how symptoms affect daily activities and work, support those criteria.