2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code C44.91

Basal cell carcinoma of skin, unspecified

ICD-10-CM Code:
C44.91
ICD-10 Code for:
Basal cell carcinoma of skin, unspecified
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
Not chronic
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Neoplasms
    (C00–D49)
    • Melanoma and other malignant neoplasms of skin
      (C43-C44)
      • Other and unspecified malignant neoplasm of skin
        (C44)

C44.91 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma of skin, unspecified. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

The following anatomical sites found in the Table of Neoplasms reference this diagnosis code given the correct histological behavior: Neoplasm, neoplastic skin NOS basal cell carcinoma or Neoplasm, neoplastic skin NOS limb NEC basal cell carcinoma .

Unspecified diagnosis codes like C44.91 are acceptable when clinical information is unknown or not available about a particular condition. Although a more specific code is preferable, unspecified codes should be used when such codes most accurately reflect what is known about a patient's condition. Specific diagnosis codes should not be used if not supported by the patient's medical record.

Approximate Synonyms

The following clinical terms are approximate synonyms or lay terms that might be used to identify the correct diagnosis code:

  • Adverse effect from PUVA photochemotherapy
  • Basal cell carcinoma - adamantinoid
  • Basal cell carcinoma - adenoid
  • Basal cell carcinoma - first recurrence
  • Basal cell carcinoma - follicular
  • Basal cell carcinoma - infiltrative
  • Basal cell carcinoma - keratotic
  • Basal cell carcinoma - micronodular
  • Basal cell carcinoma - multiple recurrences
  • Basal cell carcinoma - primary
  • Basal cell carcinoma - second recurrence
  • Basal cell carcinoma - third recurrence
  • Basal cell carcinoma of skin
  • Basal cell carcinoma recurrent following cryosurgery
  • Basal cell carcinoma recurrent following curettage
  • Basal cell carcinoma recurrent following excision
  • Basal cell carcinoma recurrent following Mohs' excision
  • Basal cell carcinoma recurrent following radiotherapy
  • Basal cell carcinoma with eccrine differentiation
  • Basal cell carcinoma with granular cell change
  • Basal cell carcinoma with matrical differentiation
  • Basal cell carcinoma with monster cells
  • Basal cell carcinoma with sebaceous differentiation
  • Basal cell carcinoma with signet ring change
  • Basosquamous carcinoma of skin
  • Circumscribed solid basal cell carcinoma
  • Cystic basal cell carcinoma
  • Fibroepithelioma of Pinkus
  • Follicular atrophoderma
  • Follicular atrophoderma and basal cell epitheliomata
  • Gorlin syndrome
  • Malignant basal cell neoplasm of skin
  • Malignant tumor of skin with pilar differentiation
  • Metastatic basal cell carcinoma
  • Morpheic basal cell carcinoma
  • Neoplastic complication of procedure
  • Nodular basal cell carcinoma of skin
  • Nodulo-ulcerative basal cell carcinoma
  • Pigmented basal cell carcinoma
  • Primary basal cell carcinoma - adenoid
  • Primary basal cell carcinoma - infiltrative
  • Primary basal cell carcinoma - micronodular
  • Primary basal cell carcinoma with eccrine differentiation
  • Primary basosquamous carcinoma of skin
  • Primary fibroepithelioma of Pinkus
  • Primary morpheic basal cell carcinoma
  • Primary nodular basal cell carcinoma of skin
  • Primary superficial basal cell carcinoma
  • Primary trichilemmal carcinoma
  • PUVA therapy-associated basal cell carcinoma
  • Recurrent basal cell carcinoma
  • Recurrent basal cell carcinoma
  • Recurrent basal cell carcinoma
  • Recurrent basal cell carcinoma
  • Recurrent basal cell carcinoma
  • Recurrent basal cell carcinoma
  • Superficial basal cell carcinoma
  • Trichilemmal carcinoma

Clinical Classification

Clinical Information

  • Metastatic Basal Cell Carcinoma

    a carcinoma that arises from the basal cells and has metastasized to another anatomic site.
  • Recurrent Basal Cell Carcinoma

    the reemergence of basal cell carcinoma after a period of remission.
  • Recurrent Lip Basal Cell Carcinoma|Recurrent Basal Cell Carcinoma of Lip|Recurrent Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Lip|Recurrent Lip Basal Cell Cancer|Relapsed Basal Cell Carcinoma of Lip|Relapsed Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Lip|Relapsed Lip Basal Cell Carcinoma

    reemergence of basal cell carcinoma of the lip after a period of remission.
  • Superficial Basal Cell Carcinoma

    a variant of basal cell carcinoma of the skin presenting as erythematous, often multiple patches. morphologically, it is characterized by the presence of superficial lobules of basaloid cells projecting into the dermis. the basaloid cell lobules are surrounded by myxoid stroma and are usually confined to the papillary dermis.
  • Superficial Multifocal Basal Cell Carcinoma|Multicentric Basal Cell Carcinoma|Multicentric basal cell carcinoma|Multifocal superficial basal cell carcinoma

    a superficial basal cell carcinoma of the skin characterized by the presence of lobules of basaloid cells which are separated by large distances and represent multifocal discrete tumors.

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

Convert C44.91 to ICD-9-CM

  • ICD-9-CM Code: 173.91 - Basal cell ca skin NOS

Table of Neoplasms

This code is referenced in the table of neoplasms by anatomical site. For each site there are six possible code numbers according to whether the neoplasm in question is malignant, benign, in situ, of uncertain behavior, or of unspecified nature. The description of the neoplasm will often indicate which of the six columns is appropriate.

Where such descriptors are not present, the remainder of the Index should be consulted where guidance is given to the appropriate column for each morphological (histological) variety listed. However, the guidance in the Index can be overridden if one of the descriptors mentioned above is present.

Neoplasm, neoplastic Malignant
Primary
Malignant
Secondary
CaInSitu Benign Uncertain
Behavior
Unspecified
Behavior
»Neoplasm, neoplastic
  »skin NOS
    »basal cell carcinoma
C44.91     
»Neoplasm, neoplastic
  »skin NOS
    »limb NEC
      »basal cell carcinoma
C44.91     

Patient Education


Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The two most common types are basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer. They usually form on the head, face, neck, hands, and arms. Another type of skin cancer, melanoma, is more dangerous but less common.

Anyone can get skin cancer, but it is more common in people who :

  • Spend a lot of time in the sun or have been sunburned
  • Have light-colored skin, hair and eyes
  • Have a family member with skin cancer
  • Are over age 50

You should have your doctor check any suspicious skin markings and any changes in the way your skin looks. Treatment is more likely to work well when cancer is found early. If not treated, some types of skin cancer cells can spread to other tissues and organs. Treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT), and biologic therapy. PDT uses a drug and a type of laser light to kill cancer cells. Biologic therapy boosts your body's own ability to fight cancer.

NIH: National Cancer Institute


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Skin Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)

Learn about skin cancer risk factors, signs and symptoms, tests to diagnose, factors affecting prognosis, staging, and treatment.
[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.