Primary omental cancer, a very rare form of cancer originating in the abdomen is a hard to treat condition which is likely to be fatal. Anyone who has been diagnosed with primary omental cancer may be eligible for disability benefits through the SSA’s compassionate allowance program, which fast tracks the assessment of an application for benefits.
Primary omental cancer patients are typically unable to work once the cancer has developed and may not have long to live. These factors are considered by the SSA to make benefits applicants suitable for a compassionate allowance.
What is Primary Omental Cancer?
Primary omental cancer is an extremely rare form of cancer that develops in the omentum. The omentum is a fold of the peritoneum, the lining that envelops most organs in the abdomen.
The normal role of the omentum is not well known, but it is thought to be responsible for providing protection against infections. The cancer is diagnosed annually in the U.S. in only around 100 cases.
What is a Compassionate Allowance?
The compassionate allowance program is part of the SSA’s disability benefits assessment process reserved for applicants with particularly severe medical conditions, typically those who exhibit symptoms that prevent the patient from being able to earn a living and may face a limited time period before succumbing to the disease.
The compassionate allowance program fast tracks the assessment of a disability benefits application, and in many cases can mean that a decision about disability benefits payments, and initiation of payments is made much more quickly than for normal applications. In most cases, decisions for payments can be made in days or weeks rather than months as is the case for most disability benefits applications.
Primary omental cancer is considered a candidate for the compassionate allowance program, although an assessment of the medical evidence is still essential. Symptoms must still be matched with the SSA’s Blue Book listing in section 13.04: Soft Tissue Sarcoma.
Medical Evidence for Primary Omental Cancer
Medical evidence assessed by the SSA’s examiners is both diagnostic and physical.
Diagnostic evidence used to determine the existence of this type of cancer includes the following:
- biopsies;
- computed tomography (CT) scans;
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI);
- positron emission tomography (PET); and
- ultrasounds.
There is often no physical evidence associated with this rare form of cancer, although in some cases, the sufferer notices a slight swelling in the affected part of the abdomen and may experience pain associated with the swelling. Other physical evidence that may be observed includes the following:
- abdominal pain;
- constipation;
- inability to eat a full meal (early satiety);
- nausea or vomiting;
- swollen abdomen (abdominal distention); and/or
- unexplained weight loss.
Get Help With Your SSD Claim
Primary omental cancer is a very severe disease that can prevent the sufferer from being able to continue working. Treatment is rarely successful, which means the patient may be eligible for fast-tracked disability benefits payments through the compassionate allowance program. It may be an advantage to contact a disability benefits attorney to help with a disability benefits application for primary omental cancer.
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