Bladder Cancer ICD 10 Code

Refresher: What are ICD-10 codes?

ICD-10 is the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision. It is a medical coding system used by healthcare providers to systematically classify diseases, symptoms, complaints, procedures, and abnormal findings. [¹]

This coding system was first developed in the 1800s to improve the quality of healthcare data and make it easier to generate statistical reports. Then over the years, it has become a useful way to track medical conditions and diseases, treatments, and the quality of patient care for reference in medical records, census keeping, billings, and insurance claims.

The World Health Organization (WHO) manages and publishes the ICD-10 base list, but several country members have modified it to better suit their healthcare system needs. In the US, a variant known as the ICD-10-CM is used, where CM stands for clinical modification. Furthermore, another classification has been developed called ICD-10-PCS, which is used for inpatient medical procedures. PCS stands for procedure coding system. [²][³]

There are approximately 68,000 ICD-10 CM codes and 70,000 ICD-10-PCS codes available. For patients with neoplasms currently under treatment, ICD-10 codes C00 – D49 are used as listed below:

• C00 – C97 is for malignant neoplasms
• D00 – D09 is for in situ neoplasms
• D10 – D36 is for benign neoplasms
• D37 – D49 is for neoplasms of unknown or uncertain behavior

These codes mentioned above are not for patients who have had the primary malignancy excised or eradicated from the site with no evidence of an active, existing malignancy or are not currently undergoing treatment. Those cases are assigned ICD-10 codes from the Z85 category.

It is important to note that while the term cancer and neoplasm are often used interchangeably, these two medical conditions are not the same, as neoplasms can be noncancerous or cancerous. Also, ICD-10 codes for primary cancers (malignant neoplasms) and metastatic bladder cancer (secondary malignant neoplasms) are different, so these two cases can be defined separately. [¹] [⁴]

What is the ICD 10 code for bladder cancer?

For primary bladder cancers, the ICD 10 CM code is C67 which stands for a malignant neoplasm of the bladder. [⁵]

For secondary bladder cancer that has metastasized from elsewhere, the ICD 10 code is C79.1 which stands for secondary malignant neoplasm of the bladder. [⁶]

Further specifications are described below.

Primary bladder cancer ICD 10 code: C67

Primary bladder cancer ICD 10 code C67 lookup

The table below lists the ICD-10 bladder cancer codes for primary bladder cancers classified under C67. [⁵]

C67: Malignant neoplasm of the bladder [⁵]

Types of bladder cancer included under SC67

The ICD 10 code C67 does not specify the subtype of bladder cancer. However, a C67 code can be applied to various cell types of primary bladder cancers, including:

• Urothelial carcinoma or transitional cell carcinoma (TCC)
• Squamous cell carcinoma
• Adenocarcinoma
• Sarcoma
• Small cell bladder cancer

In other words, urothelial carcinoma ICD 10, transitional cell carcinoma ICD 10, squamous cell carcinoma ICD 10 and adenocarcinoma ICD 10, sarcoma ICD 10, and small cell bladder cancer ICD 10 codes can all be classified as C67.0 if they are diagnosed as the primary malignant neoplasms in the bladder.

A more concrete example is a patient diagnosed with stage 1 squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder, with a single tumor found in the posterior wall of the bladder. This patient would have the ICD 10 code C67.4.

Bladder cancers excluded from ICD-10 C67

Bladder cancers excluded from ICD 10 C67 are those of uncertain behavior. These may be a polyp, papilloma, or another benign neoplasm, in which case they are classified as D41.4. [⁷]

Secondary and metastatic bladder cancer ICD 10 code: C79.1

Secondary or metastatic bladder cancer ICD 10 code C79.1 lookup

The ICD 10 bladder cancer codes for secondary bladder cancers, or cancers that originated in the bladder and have metastasized, spreading out to other locations in the body, are coded as C79.1, secondary malignant neoplasm of the bladder. [⁶]

This code is subdivided into further categories, as listed below:

• ICD 10 Code C79.10 – secondary malignant neoplasm of an unspecified urinary organ
• ICD 10 Code C79.11 – secondary malignant neoplasm of the bladder
• ICD 10 Code C79.19 – secondary malignant neoplasm of any other urinary organ

Conclusion

The bladder cancer ICD-10 code depends on several factors, including whether the tumorous cells are malignant or benign, the specific location of the malignancy within the bladder, and if the growth is a primary or secondary neoplasm. Primary bladder cancers (malignant neoplasms) are coded as ICD-10 C67, while secondary bladder cancer is coded under C79.1.

While the ICD-10 coding system clarifies the primary site and definition of a neoplasm, it does not specify the exact type of bladder cancer. This means that patients with different types of primary bladder cancer may have the same ICD-10 code if the malignant neoplasms are located in the same region of the bladder.

Therefore, to accurately code a patient’s neoplastic condition, it is necessary to have a clear understanding of their case of bladder cancer. This includes diagnosing the origin, anatomical location, behavior, and cell type of the malignant tumor, along with any treatments, complications, and pre-existing and co-existing conditions the patient may have.