BVA decisions by condition
Malignant neoplasms of the digestive system: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a malignant neoplasms of the digestive system issue in 5,024 decisions. It granted the malignant neoplasms of the digestive system issue in 25.4% of them, above the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 26.7%, and remanded it in 46.7%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 48.7% were granted.
Decisions
5,024
2017–2026
Granted
25.4%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
48.7%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
46.7%
Denied: 26.7%
Malignant neoplasms of the digestive system outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 298 | 20.8% | 39.6% | 36.9% |
| 2018 | 525 | 20.0% | 36.2% | 41.7% |
| 2019 | 640 | 20.3% | 28.9% | 49.7% |
| 2020 | 601 | 19.8% | 30.3% | 48.4% |
| 2021 | 565 | 22.7% | 27.3% | 48.8% |
| 2022 | 576 | 23.6% | 23.3% | 52.1% |
| 2023 | 551 | 29.8% | 19.6% | 50.5% |
| 2024 | 518 | 36.5% | 20.3% | 42.5% |
| 2025 | 547 | 29.3% | 22.1% | 47.5% |
| 2026 | 203 | 40.4% | 22.2% | 36.9% |
Evidence in granted and denied malignant neoplasms of the digestive system decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the malignant neoplasms of the digestive system issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 1,168 | 86.6% | 27.1% | +59.6 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 425 | 78.7% | 44.9% | +33.8 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 2,155 | 63.8% | 30.6% | +33.2 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 451 | 72.8% | 45.0% | +27.8 pts |
| Buddy statement | 144 | 57.3% | 48.4% | +8.9 pts |
| Combat service | 350 | 49.5% | 48.7% | +0.8 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 1,090 | 45.7% | 49.3% | −3.7 pts |
| Lay statement | 3,276 | 38.0% | 73.8% | −35.8 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 73.5% of the decisions that granted malignant neoplasms of the digestive system.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 20.7% of grants and 7.7% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often malignant neoplasms of the digestive system was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 2,481 | 40.5% | 59.2% | −18.6 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 3,143 | 41.2% | 66.1% | −24.9 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied malignant neoplasms of the digestive system
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established183
- Service connection established21
- Caused by the service-connected disability20
- Presumed herbicide exposure due to vietnam service18
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service14
- Presumption of herbicide exposure due to vietnam service13
- Presumed herbicide exposure in vietnam12
- Presumed exposure to herbicide agents due to vietnam service10
Most common reasons in denials
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service185
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim176
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis153
- Service records negative or silent119
- No current diagnosis86
- Current diagnosis established56
- No continuity of symptomatology50
- No direct service connection established16
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent malignant neoplasms of the digestive system decisions
Granted
Private medical opinion found probative; VA examiner opinion inadequate; Resolved reasonable doubt in veteran's favor
VA examiner opinion found persuasive when read in light most favorable to Veteran; Establishes nexus to service-connected alcohol use disorder
Evidence persuasively in favor of service connection; Approximate balance of evidence regarding herbicide exposure; Benefit of the doubt resolved in Veteran's favor
Denied
No in-service diagnosis or manifestation within presumptive period; Service treatment records silent regarding digestive issues; Post-service diagnosis outside presumptive period; VA examiner found less likely than not related to TERA/herbicide exposure; Treating physician opinion found inadequate due to conclusory nature
No current diagnosis of colon cancer found in service treatment records or post-service records.; Veteran's lay assertions regarding colon cancer lack probative value due to lack of medical expertise.; Evidence of record is against the claim, precluding application of the benefit of the doubt doctrine.
No new and relevant evidence submitted since prior denials.; Medical evidence consistent with previous statements and records.; Request to readjudicate denied per 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.156(d), 3.2501.
Rules that apply to malignant neoplasms of the digestive system claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your malignant neoplasms of the digestive system case
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How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a malignant neoplasms of the digestive system issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.