Pancreatic Cancer VA Claim: PACT Act Presumptive and 100% Rating (2026)
Quick answer: Pancreatic cancer is on VA’s list of burn pit and other toxic exposure presumptive cancers under the PACT Act. A veteran who served in a listed location during a listed period and has a pancreatic cancer diagnosis does not have to prove the service caused it. VA rates the cancer under 38 CFR 4.114, DC 7343, which provides a 100% evaluation while the cancer is active or in treatment. Each claim is decided on its own evidence.
Is Pancreatic Cancer a PACT Act Presumptive?
Yes. VA.gov lists pancreatic cancer among the cancers that are now presumptive for Gulf War era and post-9/11 veterans under the PACT Act. The full VA list is brain cancer, gastrointestinal cancer of any type, glioblastoma, head cancer of any type, kidney cancer, lymphoma of any type, melanoma, neck cancer of any type, pancreatic cancer, reproductive cancer of any type, and respiratory cancer of any type.
A presumptive condition means VA assumes the service caused it, so the veteran does not need to submit a medical opinion linking the cancer to service. The veteran still has to meet the service requirements and have a diagnosis. Other cancers on that list have their own guides here, including glioblastoma, lung cancer, kidney cancer and melanoma.
Who Qualifies: Service Locations and Dates
VA states that if you served in the locations below during these periods, it has determined you had exposure to burn pits or other toxins (a “presumption of exposure”):
| Service period | Locations (including the airspace above) |
|---|---|
| On or after September 11, 2001 | Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Uzbekistan, Yemen |
| On or after August 2, 1990 | Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, United Arab Emirates |
Your DD-214, deployment orders, unit records and awards can help document where and when you served. If you are unsure whether your service qualifies, the burn pit exposure guide and the burn pit registry guide explain more. Registry enrollment is not a requirement for the presumption.
Not the same as 38 CFR 3.320. Some websites cite 38 CFR 3.320 for every PACT Act presumption. In the current eCFR, section 3.320 covers fine particulate matter conditions (asthma, rhinitis, sinusitis and certain rare respiratory cancers). Pancreatic cancer appears on VA’s PACT Act burn pit cancer list, which VA.gov publishes, not in that section’s list. Read the VA.gov page linked under Official Sources for the current list.
How VA Rates Pancreatic Cancer (DC 7343)
Pancreatic cancer is a malignant neoplasm of the digestive system, rated under 38 CFR 4.114, Diagnostic Code 7343.
| DC | Condition | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 7343 | Malignant neoplasms of the digestive system, exclusive of skin growths | 100% |
The note to DC 7343 says the 100% rating continues beyond the end of any surgical, X-ray, antineoplastic chemotherapy or other therapeutic procedure. Six months after treatment is discontinued, VA determines the appropriate rating through a mandatory VA examination. If there has been no local recurrence or metastasis, VA rates the condition on its residuals. Any change in rating is subject to the due-process procedures in 38 CFR 3.105(e), which include advance notice of a proposed reduction (see what to do about a proposed rating reduction).
What Happens After Treatment: Residuals
Once VA moves from the 100% evaluation to rating residuals, the lasting effects of the cancer or its treatment are evaluated under the diagnostic codes that fit them. Which ones apply depends on the medical evidence. Examples from the rating schedule that can be relevant to pancreatic disease include:
- DC 7347, chronic pancreatitis — rated 30%, 60% or 100% based on how often pain episodes, hospitalizations and malabsorption occur. Note (2) says to rate endocrine dysfunction resulting in diabetes due to pancreatic insufficiency separately under DC 7913 (diabetes mellitus).
- DC 7913, diabetes mellitus — see our diabetes rating guide.
- Other residuals — such as digestive complications after surgery, which are rated under the digestive-system codes in 38 CFR 4.114 that match the findings.
Because the 38 CFR 4.114 criteria depend on documented symptoms, treatment and complications, keep records of each one. Combined ratings are computed under VA’s combined ratings table, not by simple addition.
Other Ways to Connect Pancreatic Cancer to Service
If your service does not match the table above, the presumption may not apply, but other routes exist:
- Direct service connection — evidence of an in-service event or exposure, a current diagnosis, and a medical opinion linking them. See our nexus letter guide.
- Ionizing radiation — 38 CFR 3.311 lists pancreatic cancer among the “radiogenic diseases” VA considers for veterans who were exposed to ionizing radiation in service. That section has its own dose and procedural requirements.
- Secondary service connection — if a service-connected condition is shown to have caused or aggravated the disease. See secondary service connection.
Evidence to Gather
- Pathology or biopsy report and imaging that confirm the pancreatic cancer diagnosis
- Oncology treatment records (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation) with dates
- DD-214, orders or unit records showing service in a listed location and period
- Records of residuals after treatment: pancreatitis episodes, hospitalizations, enzyme supplementation, diabetes management
- Statements describing how symptoms affect daily life and work
For help getting your service file, see how to get your service medical records. If you are filing a PACT Act claim for the first time, how to file a PACT Act claim walks through the steps.
What a 100% Rating Pays in 2026
VA compensation rates change each December. Under the rates effective December 1, 2025, a veteran with a 100% rating and no dependents is paid $3,938.58 per month; the rate is higher with a spouse, children or dependent parents. See the VA rate tables or our 2026 pay rates chart. A veteran who is unable to work because of service-connected conditions may also be considered for TDIU, and some veterans may qualify for Special Monthly Compensation based on specific needs. Payment amounts depend on the rating VA assigns.
If the Veteran Has Died: Survivor Benefits
Surviving spouses, children and parents may be eligible for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) when a veteran’s death is connected to service. Our DIC guide explains the eligibility rules and how to apply, and the effective date rules explain why filing dates matter.
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Connect with a VA-Accredited Attorney →Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. VA.gov lists pancreatic cancer among the cancers that are presumptive for Gulf War era and post-9/11 veterans who served in listed locations during listed periods. The veteran still needs a diagnosis and qualifying service, and VA decides each claim on its evidence.
VA rates malignant neoplasms of the digestive system, including pancreatic cancer, under 38 CFR 4.114, DC 7343. The schedule provides a 100% evaluation, which continues beyond the end of treatment. About six months after treatment ends, VA schedules a mandatory examination, and if there is no recurrence or metastasis it rates the residuals instead.
Not for the presumption itself. If you meet the service requirements and have the diagnosis, the PACT Act presumption applies without a medical opinion linking the cancer to service. A nexus letter is generally relevant when you are relying on direct or secondary service connection instead.
VA lists Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Uzbekistan and Yemen on or after September 11, 2001, and Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and the United Arab Emirates on or after August 2, 1990, including the airspace above them.
VA continues the 100% evaluation past the end of treatment, then orders a mandatory examination after six months. If there is no local recurrence or metastasis, residuals are rated under the codes that match your symptoms, such as DC 7347 for chronic pancreatitis and DC 7913 for diabetes due to pancreatic insufficiency.
You can still file. The presumption will not apply automatically, but you may pursue direct service connection with a medical opinion, a secondary theory, or, for radiation-exposed veterans, the process in 38 CFR 3.311. Outcomes depend on the evidence.
Eligible survivors may apply for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation if the death is connected to service. See the DIC guide linked above for eligibility rules and filing steps.