38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.114

Benign neoplasms, exclusive of skin growths — VA Diagnostic Code 7344

Digestive

Diagnostic code

7344

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38 CFR § 4.114 lists Diagnostic Code 7344 as “Benign neoplasms, exclusive of skin growths:”. The next cell says to evaluate under a diagnostic code appropriate to the predominant disability or the specific residuals after treatment. The rating cell is empty. A note names four examples. Appendix B uses the same title, without the colon. The catalog slug is dc-7344-benign-neoplasms-exclusive-of-skin-growths.

Reviewed 2026-10-05. Text checked against the eCFR versioner full-text XML for 2026-10-01 on 2026-10-05. Title 38 was last amended on 2026-08-27. On 2026-10-05 the titles list reports up to date as of 2026-10-02, and the 2026-10-02 XML for the sections quoted here matches the 2026-10-01 XML. Section 4.114 source note: 29 FR 6718, May 22, 1964, as amended at 34 FR 5063, Mar. 11, 1969; 40 FR 42540, Sept. 15, 1975; 41 FR 11301, Mar. 18, 1976; 66 FR 29488, May 31, 2001; 89 FR 19743, Mar. 20, 2024.

The rating criteria at each level

7344 Benign neoplasms, exclusive of skin growths

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Evaluate under a diagnostic code appropriate to the predominant disability or the specific residuals after treatment.

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
—	Evaluate under a diagnostic code appropriate to the predominant disability or the specific residuals after treatment.

Note: This diagnostic code includes lipoma, leiomyoma, colon polyps, or villous adenoma.

The instruction does not end by naming one code. It says “a diagnostic code appropriate to the predominant disability or the specific residuals after treatment.” The rating cell is empty. The note’s four examples are joined by “or.”

The title ends with a colon. The note ends with a period. The evaluate sentence ends with a period.

DC 7344 does not print a percentage. The percentages, if any, are on the code used for the predominant disability or the residuals. 38 CFR § 4.14 says the evaluation of the same disability under various diagnoses is to be avoided, and that the evaluation of the same manifestation under different diagnoses is to be avoided.

DC 7343 is “Malignant neoplasms of the digestive system, exclusive of skin growths,” rated 100. Its note continues that 100 percent beyond cessation of surgical, X-ray, antineoplastic chemotherapy, or other therapeutic procedure, then requires a VA examination six months after discontinuance. That note is not printed on DC 7344. Appendix B indexes DC 7343 as “Neoplasms, malignant.” It indexes DC 7344 as “Benign neoplasms, exclusive of skin growths.”

The opening paragraph of 38 CFR § 4.114 lists 7345 through 7350 inclusive, and it lists 7342 separately. It does not list 7343 or 7344. DC 7344 is outside that combine list.

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “7344,” “lipoma,” or “leiomyoma.” “Cancer of the esophagus,” “Cancer of the stomach,” “Cancer of the small intestine,” and “Cancer of the pancreas” are different lines. This page does not add DC 7344 to a presumptive row.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.114, Diagnostic Code 7344, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01. The source note prints 29 FR 6718, May 22, 1964, as amended at 34 FR 5063, Mar. 11, 1969; 40 FR 42540, Sept. 15, 1975; 41 FR 11301, Mar. 18, 1976; 66 FR 29488, May 31, 2001; 89 FR 19743, Mar. 20, 2024.

What the words mean in your records

Exclusive of skin growths

Those words are in the DC 7344 title and in the DC 7343 title. DC 7343 says “Malignant neoplasms.” DC 7344 says “Benign neoplasms.”

The note’s list is four examples

Lipoma, leiomyoma, colon polyps, or villous adenoma. The note says “includes.” It does not say the list is closed.

No six-month sentence on this code

The mandatory examination six months after discontinuance of treatment is the note under DC 7343. DC 7344 does not print it.

Evidence that speaks to each level

The evaluate sentence

What the rater needs to see. DC 7344 does not print a percentage. The cell asks for a diagnostic code appropriate to the predominant disability or the specific residuals after treatment.

Where that usually lives. The pathology that identifies the neoplasm, and the findings of the residual the other code uses.

The examples in the note

What the rater needs to see. The note includes lipoma, leiomyoma, colon polyps, or villous adenoma. The evaluate sentence is not limited to those four words.

Where that usually lives. The pathology report.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
The evaluate sentence	DC 7344 does not print a percentage. The cell asks for a diagnostic code appropriate to the predominant disability or the specific residuals after treatment.	The pathology that identifies the neoplasm, and the findings of the residual the other code uses.
The examples in the note	The note includes lipoma, leiomyoma, colon polyps, or villous adenoma. The evaluate sentence is not limited to those four words.	The pathology report.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, lists Esophageal Disorders, Stomach and Duodenum, Intestinal Conditions, Liver Conditions, Pancreas, and Gallbladder as separate files under Gastrointestinal. None of those titles is “Benign neoplasms, exclusive of skin growths.”

The exam form

DC 7344 points to another diagnostic code. This page does not pick that code, and it does not say one of those forms replaces the evaluate sentence.

Related codes and how they interact

Malignant neoplasms are DC 7343

DC 7343 prints 100 and the six-month examination note. DC 7344 prints neither. Both titles say “exclusive of skin growths.”

Secondary conditions and presumptions

Section 3.309 does not contain “7344.” The cancer lines in that section are not this benign-neoplasm row. This page does not add DC 7344 to a presumptive row.

A separate question, when a presumption does not decide it, is a medical question on the facts under 38 CFR § 3.310. Paragraph (a) covers disability proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. Paragraph (b) covers increase in severity and requires a medical baseline.

Short answers

How does VA rate a benign digestive neoplasm under DC 7344?

Under 38 CFR § 4.114, Diagnostic Code 7344 says to evaluate benign neoplasms, exclusive of skin growths, under a diagnostic code appropriate to the predominant disability or the specific residuals after treatment. The note includes lipoma, leiomyoma, colon polyps, or villous adenoma. DC 7344 does not print a percentage. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Does the combine list include DC 7344?

The opening paragraph of § 4.114 names 7345 through 7350 inclusive, and 7342. It does not name 7344. Education only.

FAQ

What percentage does DC 7344 print?

None. The cell says to evaluate under a diagnostic code appropriate to the predominant disability or the specific residuals after treatment. Education only.

Which growths does the note name?

Lipoma, leiomyoma, colon polyps, or villous adenoma. The note says the code includes those examples.

Is a malignant digestive neoplasm rated on DC 7344?

DC 7343 is malignant neoplasms of the digestive system, exclusive of skin growths, at 100, with its own note. DC 7344 is the benign row. Education only.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 7344 and which diagnostic code was used for the predominant disability or the residuals.
The free worksheet is a place to write the code, the findings, and the records you already have. It does not file a claim or protect a filing date. An accredited representative is at find a VSO.
Other digestive codes are on the digestive diagnostic-code index. The category page is digestive conditions.

Education only. Not legal or medical advice. My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative and does not file claims. VA decides every claim on its own evidence.

Other codes in this body system

Nearby catalog entries in Digestive, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Digestive codes

Also: DC code lookup (tools) lists the same index in a compact layout.

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 7344 • va.gov

⚠️ Important Disclaimer

This page provides general educational information based on public VA regulations and VA.gov resources. It is not legal or medical advice, and My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative. Any worksheets or draft documents produced by the tools must be reviewed for accuracy and are not filed with VA for you. Ratings and service connection are decided case-by-case from the individual record. Consult a VA-accredited VSO, claims agent, attorney, or qualified clinician for help with your situation, and verify current rules using the linked official source.