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Statement of Principles

Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage — DVA SoP factors

Every factor in the Repatriation Medical Authority Statements of Principles for Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage. DVA can only accept a claim for Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage if at least one of these factors is met and connected to your service. Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) applies to operational service; Balance of Probabilities (BoP) applies to peacetime service.

Source: Repatriation Medical Authority Statements of Principles as held by the Veterans Health Centre. SoPs are amended and replaced regularly; always confirm the current instrument at rma.gov.au before relying on it.

Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage

RH No. 66 of 2020 · BoP No. 67 of 202016 factors

Meaning of malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage: For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage: (a) means a primary malignant neoplasm arising in bone or articular cartilage; and (b) includes: (i) chondrosarcoma of bone or articular cartilage; (ii) Ewing sarcoma; and (iii) osteosarcoma; and Malignant Neoplasm Of Bone And Articular Cartilage (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 66 of 2020) (c) excludes: (i) malignant neoplasms of haematopoietic tissue within bones; (ii) metastatic lesions within bone or articular cartilage arising from other primary malignant neoplasms; and (iii) soft tissue sarcoma. (3) While malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage attracts ICD-10-AM code C40 or C41, in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage is that given in subsection (2). (4) For subsection (3), a reference to an ICD-10-AM code is a reference to the code assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Tenth Edition, effective date of 1 July 2017, copyrighted by the Independent Hosp

Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 66 of 2020

At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage or death from malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

  1. (1)
    having received a cumulative equivalent dose of at least 0.1 sievert of ionising radiation to the affected region at least two years before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage; Malignant Neoplasm Of Bone And Articular Cartilage (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 66 of 2020);

    Note: cumulative equivalent dose is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  2. (2)
    having Paget's disease of bone at the affected site before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage;
  3. (3)
    having osteonecrosis at the affected site before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage;

    Note: Osteonecrosis is also known as a bone infarct.

  4. (4)
    having chronic osteomyelitis at the affected site before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage;
  5. (5)
    having giant cell tumour of bone at the affected site before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage;
  6. (6)
    undergoing stem cell or bone marrow transplantation before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage;
  7. (7)
    taking growth hormone for at least three months before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage;
  8. (8)
    taking an anthracycline chemotherapeutic agent at least five years before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage;
  9. (9)
    taking denosumab for at least three months before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage, and where taking denosumab has permanently ceased, the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage has occurred within two years of cessation;
  10. (10)
    inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage;

Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsection 9(10) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.

Balance of Probabilities (BoP) — Statement of Principles No. 67 of 2020

6 factors

At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage or death from malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

  1. (1)
    having received a cumulative equivalent dose of at least 0.5 sievert of ionising radiation to the affected region at least five years before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage; Malignant Neoplasm Of Bone And Articular Cartilage (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 67 of 2020);

    Note: cumulative equivalent dose is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

  2. (2)
    having Paget's disease of bone at the affected site before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage;
  3. (3)
    having chronic osteomyelitis at the affected site before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage;
  4. (4)
    having giant cell tumour of bone at the affected site before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage;
  5. (5)
    taking an anthracycline chemotherapeutic agent at least five years before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage;
  6. (6)
    inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for malignant neoplasm of bone or articular cartilage;

Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsection 9(6) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.

A VHC Diagnostic Assessment addresses each of these factors one by one against your service record and clinical history. See how a VHC DVA claim works, see all fees ($600 + GST per stage) or book an appointment.

Accepted — what is it worth?

A Statement of Principles decides one thing only: whether DVA accepts liability for malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage. It says nothing about how much you are paid. Compensation is worked out separately, from impairment points under the GARP — so a condition can be accepted and still rate few points, or rate more than you expect once it is combined with everything else on your file.

Part of DVA Claims — Cancer & tumours — every Statement of Principles covering cancer and tumours.

Others in this area:

Dr Thomas Perkins, Veterans Health Centre

Reviewed by Dr Thomas Perkins

Founding doctor, Veterans Health Centre · former RAAF aviation medical officer · 13 years working exclusively with ADF members and veterans. Full profile →