2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code C40Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbs

ICD-10-CM Codes›C00–D49›C40-C41›C40

ICD-10-CM C40
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

C40 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code for malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbs, so it cannot be submitted on claims. Use a more specific code from this category instead, such as C40.00, C40.01, C40.02, and C40.10.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
C40
Billable Status
No — Non-Billable Category
Code Describes
Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbs
Short Description
Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbs
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Chapter
C40-C41
Malignant neoplasms of bone and articular cartilage

Code Classification

ChapterC00–D49Neoplasms
SectionC40-C41Malignant neoplasms of bone and articular cartilage
CategoryC40Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbs
This CodeC40Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbs

Specific Coding for Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbsOverview

Non-specific codes like C40 require more characters. Use one of these billable codes instead:

  • C40.0 for Malignant neoplasm of scapula and long bones of upper limb

  • Use C40.00 for Malignant neoplasm of scapula and long bones of unspecified upper limb

  • Use C40.01 for Malignant neoplasm of scapula and long bones of right upper limb

  • Use C40.02 for Malignant neoplasm of scapula and long bones of left upper limb

  • C40.1 for Malignant neoplasm of short bones of upper limb

  • Use C40.10 for Malignant neoplasm of short bones of unspecified upper limb

  • Use C40.11 for Malignant neoplasm of short bones of right upper limb

  • Use C40.12 for Malignant neoplasm of short bones of left upper limb

  • C40.2 for Malignant neoplasm of long bones of lower limb

  • Use C40.20 for Malignant neoplasm of long bones of unspecified lower limb

  • Use C40.21 for Malignant neoplasm of long bones of right lower limb

  • Use C40.22 for Malignant neoplasm of long bones of left lower limb

  • C40.3 for Malignant neoplasm of short bones of lower limb

  • Use C40.30 for Malignant neoplasm of short bones of unspecified lower limb

  • Use C40.31 for Malignant neoplasm of short bones of right lower limb

  • Use C40.32 for Malignant neoplasm of short bones of left lower limb

  • C40.8 for Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of bone and articular cartilage of limb

  • Use C40.80 for Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of bone and articular cartilage of unspecified limb

  • Use C40.81 for Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of bone and articular cartilage of right limb

  • Use C40.82 for Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of bone and articular cartilage of left limb

  • C40.9 for Malignant neoplasm of unspecified bones and articular cartilage of limb

  • Use C40.90 for Malignant neoplasm of unspecified bones and articular cartilage of unspecified limb

  • Use C40.91 for Malignant neoplasm of unspecified bones and articular cartilage of right limb

  • Use C40.92 for Malignant neoplasm of unspecified bones and articular cartilage of left limb

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to C40: its own notes plus those printed at block C40-C41 and Chapter 2. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Includes

Further defines, or gives examples of, the content of the category.

From Block C40-C41 Malignant neoplasms of bone and articular cartilage applies to 24 codes
  • malignant neoplasm of cartilage (articular) (joint)
  • malignant neoplasm of periosteum

Excludes1

Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

From Block C40-C41 Malignant neoplasms of bone and articular cartilage applies to 24 codes
  • malignant neoplasm of bone marrow NOS (C96.9)
  • malignant neoplasm of synovia (C49.-)

Use Additional Code

Add a second code, after this one, to fully describe the condition.

  • code to identify major osseous defect, if applicable (M89.7-)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 2 (C00-D49) Neoplasms applies to 1,730 codes
  • Functional activity
  • All neoplasms are classified in this chapter, whether they are functionally active or not. An additional code from Chapter 4 may be used, to identify functional activity associated with any neoplasm.
  • Morphology [Histology]
  • Chapter 2 classifies neoplasms primarily by site (topography), with broad groupings for behavior, malignant, in situ, benign, etc. The Table of Neoplasms should be used to identify the correct topography code. In a few cases, such as for malignant melanoma and certain neuroendocrine tumors, the morphology (histologic type) is included in the category and codes.
  • Primary malignant neoplasms overlapping site boundaries
  • A primary malignant neoplasm that overlaps two or more contiguous (next to each other) sites should be classified to the subcategory/code .8 ('overlapping lesion'), unless the combination is specifically indexed elsewhere. For multiple neoplasms of the same site that are not contiguous, such as tumors in different quadrants of the same breast, codes for each site should be assigned.
  • Malignant neoplasm of ectopic tissue
  • Malignant neoplasms of ectopic tissue are to be coded to the site mentioned, e.g., ectopic pancreatic malignant neoplasms are coded to pancreas, unspecified (C25.9).

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name C40, its category, or a range that includes it.

Applicable To 1

These notes mention C40.

  • Z85.83 Personal history of malignant neoplasm of bone and soft tissue
    Conditions classifiable to C40-C41; C45-C49

Excludes1 3

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming C40: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • C41 Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of other and unspecified sites
    malignant neoplasm of bones of limbs (C40.-)
  • C41 Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of other and unspecified sites
    malignant neoplasm of cartilage of limbs (C40.-)
  • C49 Malignant neoplasm of other connective and soft tissue
    articular (C40-C41)

Code First 2

These codes say to code first a condition named in the note, and C40 is one of the conditions named.

  • M89.7 Major osseous defect
    malignant neoplasm of bone (C40.-)
  • M90.6 Osteitis deformans in neoplastic diseases
    the neoplasm (C40.-, C41.-)

Patient EducationClinical

Bone Cancer

Cancer that starts in a bone is uncommon. Cancer that has spread to the bone from another part of the body is more common.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About C40Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbs?

C40 is the ICD-10-CM category for malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbs, but it is a non-billable header: claims need a more specific code from this category, listed on this page.

Is C40 (Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbs) a billable code?

No. This is a category header that groups the codes for malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbs, and headers cannot be submitted on claims. Claims for malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbs need a more specific code from this category, such as C40.00, C40.01, and C40.02.

Can C40 be reported with C96.9?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at block C40-C41, which applies to C40, lists "malignant neoplasm of bone marrow NOS (C96.9)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).

Does C40 need an additional code?

When the condition applies, yes. The Use Additional Code note reads: code to identify major osseous defect, if applicable (M89.7-). The additional code is reported after C40.