2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code C15.5Malignant neoplasm of lower third of esophagus
ICD-10-CM Codes›C00–D49›C15-C26›C15
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- Chronic Condition
C15.5 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for malignant neoplasm of lower third of esophagus. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 374 through 376. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Gastrointestinal cancers - esophagus.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Adenocarcinoma of lower esophagus
- Carcinoma of abdominal part of esophagus
- Carcinoma of lower third of esophagus
- Malignant neoplasm of abdominal esophagus
- Malignant neoplasm of lower third of esophagus
- Primary adenocarcinoma of distal third of esophagus
- Primary adenocarcinoma of lower third of esophagus due to Barrett esophagus
- Primary carcinoma of abdominal part of esophagus
- Primary carcinoma of lower third of esophagus
- Primary malignant neoplasm of abdominal esophagus
- Primary malignant neoplasm of lower third of esophagus
- Primary squamous cell carcinoma of lower third of esophagus
Tabular List NotesGuidance
Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.
Type 1 Excludes
- malignant neoplasm of cardio-esophageal junction C16.0
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Table of NeoplasmsClinical
Anatomical sites in the Table of Neoplasms that reference this code family.
Patient EducationClinical
Esophageal Cancer
The esophagus is a hollow tube that carries food and liquids from your throat to your stomach. Early esophageal cancer usually does not cause symptoms. Later, you may have symptoms such as:
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert C15.5 to ICD-9-CMHistory
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About C15.5Overview
Is C15.5 (Malignant neoplasm of esophagus) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report malignant neoplasm of lower third of esophagus on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What MS-DRG does C15.5 group to?
When malignant neoplasm of lower third of esophagus is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 374, 375, 376, with relative weights from 0.9243 to 2.1387 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of C15.5?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, malignant neoplasm of lower third of esophagus converts to ICD-9-CM 150.2 (mal neo abdomin esophag) and 150.5 (mal neo lower 3rd esoph). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
Footnotes
[1] Chronic - a chronic condition code indicates a condition lasting 12 months or longer and its effect on the patient based on one or both of the following criteria:
- The condition results in the need for ongoing intervention with medical products,treatment, services, and special equipment
- The condition places limitations on self-care, independent living, and social interactions.
