Reference: 38 CFR 4.115b, DC 7528

Sources & Related Guides

What is the VA rating for Prostate Cancer?

Mandatory 100% evaluation during active malignancy and treatment, followed by residual rating on voiding or erectile dysfunction.

Condition Overview & Clinical Scope

Mandatory 100% evaluation during active malignancy and treatment, followed by residual rating on voiding or erectile dysfunction.

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Explore Prostate Cancer Criteria & Tools

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Common Questions & FAQs

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What are you trying to understand about prostate cancer?

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Overview

About this condition

Mandatory 100% evaluation during active malignancy and treatment, followed by residual rating on voiding or erectile dysfunction.

Regulatory authority: 38 CFR 4.115b, DC 7528

This guide provides regulatory reference criteria under 38 CFR Part 4. RatingScope does not provide medical diagnoses or predict adjudicative outcomes.

Percentage Guides

Understanding Your Percentage

Select a pathway to see what the published criteria ask about, what records may clarify it, and what should not be assumed.

100%

Highest listed pathway

Active malignancy, or undergoing treatment, and continuing for 6 months post-treatment completion.

What separates the next level: Highest compensable evaluation defined under this diagnostic code.

Review CFR criteria, examples, and evidence
Official CFR language
38 CFR 4.115b, DC 7528 establishes the 100% evaluation criteria.
What the published criteria say
Medical records must document the specific functional findings and clinical thresholds corresponding to the 100% level.
Examples
Veteran has clinical documentation demonstrating the 100% criteria under 38 CFR 4.115b, DC 7528.
Medical evidence
Prostate DBQ (VA Form 21-0960J-2); Clinical treatment progress notes; Diagnostic testing reports
Functional impact examples
Documented impairment affecting daily physical or occupational performance.
Common misconceptions
A clinical diagnosis alone without documented severity does not guarantee a compensable rating.
Related topics
prostate-cancer; 38 CFR Part 4; DC 7528

60%

Next: 100%

Post-treatment urinary voiding dysfunction requiring catheter or daily pad changes (rated under DC 7522).

What separates the next level: Differs from the 100% tier based on frequency, objective test measurements, or treatment intensity.

Review CFR criteria, examples, and evidence
Official CFR language
38 CFR 4.115b, DC 7528 establishes the 60% evaluation criteria.
What the published criteria say
Medical records must document the specific functional findings and clinical thresholds corresponding to the 60% level.
Examples
Veteran has clinical documentation demonstrating the 60% criteria under 38 CFR 4.115b, DC 7528.
Medical evidence
Prostate DBQ (VA Form 21-0960J-2); Clinical treatment progress notes; Diagnostic testing reports
Functional impact examples
Documented impairment affecting daily physical or occupational performance.
Common misconceptions
A clinical diagnosis alone without documented severity does not guarantee a compensable rating.
Related topics
prostate-cancer; 38 CFR Part 4; DC 7528

40%

Next: 60%

Moderate urinary voiding dysfunction requiring daytime pad changes.

What separates the next level: Differs from the 60% tier based on frequency, objective test measurements, or treatment intensity.

Review CFR criteria, examples, and evidence
Official CFR language
38 CFR 4.115b, DC 7528 establishes the 40% evaluation criteria.
What the published criteria say
Medical records must document the specific functional findings and clinical thresholds corresponding to the 40% level.
Examples
Veteran has clinical documentation demonstrating the 40% criteria under 38 CFR 4.115b, DC 7528.
Medical evidence
Prostate DBQ (VA Form 21-0960J-2); Clinical treatment progress notes; Diagnostic testing reports
Functional impact examples
Documented impairment affecting daily physical or occupational performance.
Common misconceptions
A clinical diagnosis alone without documented severity does not guarantee a compensable rating.
Related topics
prostate-cancer; 38 CFR Part 4; DC 7528

20%

Next: 40%

Mild urinary frequency with nocturia.

What separates the next level: Differs from the 40% tier based on frequency, objective test measurements, or treatment intensity.

Review CFR criteria, examples, and evidence
Official CFR language
38 CFR 4.115b, DC 7528 establishes the 20% evaluation criteria.
What the published criteria say
Medical records must document the specific functional findings and clinical thresholds corresponding to the 20% level.
Examples
Veteran has clinical documentation demonstrating the 20% criteria under 38 CFR 4.115b, DC 7528.
Medical evidence
Prostate DBQ (VA Form 21-0960J-2); Clinical treatment progress notes; Diagnostic testing reports
Functional impact examples
Documented impairment affecting daily physical or occupational performance.
Common misconceptions
A clinical diagnosis alone without documented severity does not guarantee a compensable rating.
Related topics
prostate-cancer; 38 CFR Part 4; DC 7528

0%

Next: 20%

Cessation of malignancy without compensable urinary voiding residuals (triggers SMC-K for erectile dysfunction).

What separates the next level: Differs from the 20% tier based on frequency, objective test measurements, or treatment intensity.

Review CFR criteria, examples, and evidence
Official CFR language
38 CFR 4.115b, DC 7528 establishes the 0% evaluation criteria.
What the published criteria say
Medical records must document the specific functional findings and clinical thresholds corresponding to the 0% level.
Examples
Veteran has clinical documentation demonstrating the 0% criteria under 38 CFR 4.115b, DC 7528.
Medical evidence
Prostate DBQ (VA Form 21-0960J-2); Clinical treatment progress notes; Diagnostic testing reports
Functional impact examples
Documented impairment affecting daily physical or occupational performance.
Common misconceptions
A clinical diagnosis alone without documented severity does not guarantee a compensable rating.
Related topics
prostate-cancer; 38 CFR Part 4; DC 7528

Learn

Understand the details behind the criteria

Use these short guides to connect published terms with the records and observations that may clarify them.

Active treatment total evaluation versus post-treatment stabilized residuals

DC 7528 specifies a 100 percent schedular evaluation during active malignant disease or during treatment covered by that diagnostic code, followed by evaluation under the applicable residual criteria after treatment and required reexamination.

  • During active cancer therapy, including surgical prostatectomy, external beam radiation, brachytherapy, or ongoing hormone deprivation therapy, a 100 percent evaluation is maintained.
  • Following completion of active treatment, mandatory re-evaluation examines stabilized residuals, predominantly voiding frequency, urinary incontinence, and erectile dysfunction.
  • Each persistent residual is evaluated under its corresponding rating criteria rather than maintaining the active cancer percentage.

Records to review: Oncology and urology records documenting cancer diagnosis, Gleason score, and treatment timeline; Operative and radiation treatment completion summaries; Post-treatment urology notes evaluating urinary continence and voiding frequency.

Evidence

Evidence that may clarify the published criteria

Prostate Cancer DBQ

The DBQ organizes diagnosis and clinical findings for Prostate Cancer.

A DBQ is useful context, but RatingScope does not require uploads and this hub does not accept records.

Diagnosis and treatment records

Treatment notes can show the current condition, course over time, therapy, and clinician observations.

A diagnosis alone does not identify which percentage pathway applies.

VA forms and DBQs (from VA.gov)

Downloadable DBQs & Supporting Claim Forms

The public DBQ shows the kinds of findings an examiner may record. A veteran may review it, or may share it with a private clinician, before a C&P exam. RatingScope does not tell any person what to submit.

Terminology

Plain-English terms

Common Questions

Questions veterans commonly ask

How is Prostate Cancer evaluated?

Mandatory 100% evaluation during active malignancy and treatment, followed by residual rating on voiding or erectile dysfunction.

What separates the 100% rating from adjacent levels?

Highest compensable evaluation defined under this diagnostic code.

What separates the 60% rating from adjacent levels?

Differs from the 100% tier based on frequency, objective test measurements, or treatment intensity.

What separates the 40% rating from adjacent levels?

Differs from the 60% tier based on frequency, objective test measurements, or treatment intensity.

What separates the 20% rating from adjacent levels?

Differs from the 40% tier based on frequency, objective test measurements, or treatment intensity.

What separates the 0% rating from adjacent levels?

Differs from the 20% tier based on frequency, objective test measurements, or treatment intensity.

Related Conditions

Continue learning through connected topics

Ready when you are

Prostate Cancer is evaluated under the Genitourinary System assessment

RatingScope compares Prostate Cancer records using the published criteria in the Genitourinary System assessment. Compare your documented records against the criteria.

Informational guidance only. RatingScope does not predict, decide, or guarantee VA outcomes.

Compare records in the Genitourinary System assessment

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Continue Understanding

External source/reference

38 CFR 4.97, DC 7528

Official regulation source for Prostate Cancer. Use the official source for current rule text.

Open 38 CFR 4.97, DC 7528

External source/reference

VA Prostate Cancer DBQ

Public VA DBQ showing the kinds of findings that may be documented.

Open VA Prostate Cancer DBQ

Secondary conditions

Conditions commonly connected to Prostate Cancer

No commonly documented secondary connections are tracked for Prostate Cancer yet.

Educational Guides & Evidence Resources

In-depth analysis of DBQ forms, medical evidence thresholds, and rating schedules for Prostate Cancer.

How VA Rates Prostate Conditions: BPH, Prostate Cancer, and Voiding Dysfunction Guide

Learn how the VA rates benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and prostate cancer under 38 CFR 4.115a and 4.115b, temporary 100% rules, residuals, and SMC-K.

Agent Orange Presumptive Conditions: Qualifying Locations, Dates, and Diseases

Explore the complete list of Agent Orange presumptive conditions under 38 CFR 3.309(e), qualifying military service locations, and PACT Act expansions.

How VA Rates Urinary Incontinence: 38 CFR 4.115a Voiding Dysfunction and Frequency Guide

Understand how the VA evaluates urinary incontinence and voiding dysfunction under 38 CFR 4.115a based on pad changes, frequency, and nocturia.

Erectile Dysfunction & SMC-K: How VA Compensates Loss of Use

Learn how the VA rates erectile dysfunction under 38 CFR 4.115b, Diagnostic Code 7522, and how 38 CFR 3.350(a) addresses monthly Special Monthly Compensation (SMC-K) for loss of use of a creative organ.

Keep going

Related Tools

Compare a percentage level and combined-rating math, or review evidence context.

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VA Math & Combined Ratings

Understand the whole-person method, final rounding, and bilateral limits, then calculate how percentages combine.

Open VA Math guide

Evidence Center

Understand common evidence categories and what they can clarify without treating them as a checklist.

Open Evidence Center