Diagnostic Code 7833 · 38 CFR §4.118
Malignant melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer, developing from pigment-producing melanocytes. It can spread quickly to other organs if not caught early. Veterans have elevated melanoma risk due to years of intense sun exposure during outdoor military duties, often without adequate sun protection. The VA rates active melanoma at 100% during treatment, with post-treatment ratings based on residual effects and recurrence risk.
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 0% | Post-treatment with no active disease and minimal residuals. |
| 10% | Post-treatment residuals such as a painful or disfiguring scar — rate under appropriate scar code (DC 7800–7805) if higher. |
| 30% | Significant post-treatment residuals — disfigurement of head/face/neck or functional limitation — rated under appropriate scar code if higher. |
| 100% | Active malignant melanoma during treatment. The 100% rating continues for six months after cessation of surgical, X-ray, antineoplastic chemotherapy, or other therapeutic procedure. Following that, the rating is determined by residuals. |
Pathology reports with staging information (Breslow depth, Clark level, sentinel node status) are essential. Treatment records for all therapies (surgery, immunotherapy, radiation) are required. Post-treatment surveillance records and imaging show ongoing monitoring needs. Exposure documentation including deployment records and outdoor duty history support the service connection. Records of residual conditions from treatment support additional claims.
Melanoma is not currently a presumptive condition for most exposure categories. However, it can be directly service-connected based on sun exposure during military service. Veterans with significant outdoor service, especially in tropical or equatorial locations, can establish the link between military sun exposure and melanoma development through medical evidence and nexus opinions.
If you receive ongoing immunotherapy (such as checkpoint inhibitors like pembrolizumab or nivolumab), you remain under active treatment for rating purposes. This means the 100% rating continues. Additionally, immunotherapy can cause lasting autoimmune side effects affecting the thyroid, liver, kidneys, and other organs — each of these should be claimed as secondary conditions.