Version 2024

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code C43

Malignant melanoma of skin

ICD-10-CM Code:
C43
ICD-10 Code for:
Malignant melanoma of skin
Is Billable?
Not Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Neoplasms
    (C00–D49)
    • Melanoma and other malignant neoplasms of skin
      (C43-C44)
      • Malignant melanoma of skin
        (C43)

C43 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of malignant melanoma of skin. The code is not specific and is NOT valid for the year 2024 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions. Category or Header define the heading of a category of codes that may be further subdivided by the use of 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th characters.

Specific Coding Applicable to Malignant melanoma of skin

Non-specific codes like C43 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10-CM codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for malignant melanoma of skin:

  • Use C43.0 for Malignant melanoma of lip - BILLABLE CODE

  • C43.1 for Malignant melanoma of eyelid, including canthus - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.10 for Malignant melanoma of unspecified eyelid, including canthus - BILLABLE CODE

  • C43.11 for Malignant melanoma of right eyelid, including canthus - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • C43.12 for Malignant melanoma of left eyelid, including canthus - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • C43.2 for Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.20 for Malignant melanoma of unspecified ear and external auricular canal - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.21 for Malignant melanoma of right ear and external auricular canal - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.22 for Malignant melanoma of left ear and external auricular canal - BILLABLE CODE

  • C43.3 for Malignant melanoma of other and unspecified parts of face - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.30 for Malignant melanoma of unspecified part of face - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.31 for Malignant melanoma of nose - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.39 for Malignant melanoma of other parts of face - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.4 for Malignant melanoma of scalp and neck - BILLABLE CODE

  • C43.5 for Malignant melanoma of trunk - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.51 for Malignant melanoma of anal skin - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.52 for Malignant melanoma of skin of breast - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.59 for Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk - BILLABLE CODE

  • C43.6 for Malignant melanoma of upper limb, including shoulder - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.60 for Malignant melanoma of unspecified upper limb, including shoulder - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.61 for Malignant melanoma of right upper limb, including shoulder - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.62 for Malignant melanoma of left upper limb, including shoulder - BILLABLE CODE

  • C43.7 for Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.70 for Malignant melanoma of unspecified lower limb, including hip - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.71 for Malignant melanoma of right lower limb, including hip - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.72 for Malignant melanoma of left lower limb, including hip - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.8 for Malignant melanoma of overlapping sites of skin - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C43.9 for Malignant melanoma of skin, unspecified - BILLABLE CODE

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Type 1 Excludes

Type 1 Excludes
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.
  • melanoma in situ D03

Type 2 Excludes

Type 2 Excludes
A type 2 excludes note represents "Not included here". An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.
  • malignant melanoma of skin of genital organs C51 C52 C60 C63
  • Merkel cell carcinoma C4A
  • sites other than skin-code to malignant neoplasm of the site

Patient Education


Melanoma

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. Often the first sign of melanoma is a change in the size, shape, color, or feel of a mole. Most melanomas have a black or black-blue area. Melanoma may also appear as a new mole. It may be black, abnormal, or "ugly looking."

Thinking of "ABCDE" can help you remember what to watch for:

  • Asymmetry - the shape of one half does not match the other
  • Border - the edges are ragged, blurred or irregular
  • Color - the color is uneven and may include shades of black, brown and tan
  • Diameter - there is a change in size, usually an increase
  • Evolving - the mole has changed over the past few weeks or months

Surgery is the first treatment of all stages of melanoma. Other treatments include chemotherapy and radiation, biologic, and targeted therapies. Biologic therapy boosts your body's own ability to fight cancer. Targeted therapy uses substances that attack cancer cells without harming normal cells.

NIH: National Cancer Institute


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Melanoma

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that begins in pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. This cancer typically occurs in areas that are only occasionally sun-exposed; tumors are most commonly found on the back in men and on the legs in women. Melanoma usually occurs on the skin (cutaneous melanoma), but in about 5 percent of cases it develops in melanocytes in other tissues, including the eyes (uveal melanoma) or mucous membranes that line the body's cavities, such as the moist lining of the mouth (mucosal melanoma). Melanoma can develop at any age, but it most frequently occurs in people in their fifties to seventies and is becoming more common in teenagers and young adults.

Melanoma may develop from an existing mole or other normal skin growth that becomes cancerous (malignant); however, many melanomas are new growths. Melanomas often have ragged edges and an irregular shape. They can range from a few millimeters to several centimeters across. They can also be a variety of colors: brown, black, red, pink, blue, or white.

Most melanomas affect only the outermost layer of skin (the epidermis). If a melanoma becomes thicker and involves multiple layers of skin, it can spread to other parts of the body (metastasize).

A large number of moles or other pigmented skin growths on the body, generally more than 25, is associated with an increased risk of developing melanoma. Melanoma is also a common feature of genetic syndromes affecting the skin such as xeroderma pigmentosum. Additionally, individuals who have previously had melanoma are nearly nine times more likely than the general population to develop melanoma again. It is estimated that about 90 percent of individuals with melanoma survive at least 5 years after being diagnosed.


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Melanoma Summary

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

Skin Cancer (Including Melanoma)-Patient Version

Learn about melanoma risk factors, 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.