2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code C71Malignant neoplasm of brain

ICD-10-CM Codes›C00–D49›C69-C72›C71

ICD-10-CM C71
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

C71 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code for malignant neoplasm of brain, so it cannot be submitted on claims. Use a more specific code from this category instead, such as C71.0, C71.1, C71.2, and C71.3.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
C71
Billable Status
No — Non-Billable Category
Code Describes
Malignant neoplasm of brain
Short Description
Malignant neoplasm of brain
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Chapter
C69-C72
Malignant neoplasms of eye, brain and other parts of central nervous system

Code Classification

ChapterC00–D49Neoplasms
SectionC69-C72Malignant neoplasms of eye, brain and other parts of central nervous system
CategoryC71Malignant neoplasm of brain
This CodeC71Malignant neoplasm of brain

Specific Coding for Malignant neoplasm of brainOverview

Non-specific codes like C71 require more characters. Use one of these billable codes instead:

  • Use C71.0 for Malignant neoplasm of cerebrum, except lobes and ventricles

  • Use C71.1 for Malignant neoplasm of frontal lobe

  • Use C71.2 for Malignant neoplasm of temporal lobe

  • Use C71.3 for Malignant neoplasm of parietal lobe

  • Use C71.4 for Malignant neoplasm of occipital lobe

  • Use C71.5 for Malignant neoplasm of cerebral ventricle

  • Use C71.6 for Malignant neoplasm of cerebellum

  • Use C71.7 for Malignant neoplasm of brain stem

  • Use C71.8 for Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of brain

  • Use C71.9 for Malignant neoplasm of brain, unspecified

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to C71: its own notes plus those printed at Chapter 2. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Excludes1

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

  • malignant neoplasm of cranial nerves (C72.2-C72.5)
  • retrobulbar malignant neoplasm (C69.6-)

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 C71, its category, or a range that includes it.

Applicable To 2

These notes mention C71.

  • Z85.8 Personal history of malignant neoplasms of other organs and systems
    Conditions classifiable to C00-C14, C40-C49, C69-C75, C7A.098, C76-C79 names C69-C75, which includes this code
  • Z85.84 Personal history of malignant neoplasm of eye and nervous tissue
    Conditions classifiable to C69-C72 names C69-C72, which includes this code

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Malignant Brain Neoplasm

    a primary or metastatic malignant neoplasm affecting the brain.

Patient EducationClinical

Brain Tumors

A brain tumor is a growth of abnormal cells in the tissues of the brain. Brain tumors can be benign, with no cancer cells, or malignant, with cancer cells that grow quickly. Some are primary brain tumors, which start in the brain. Others are metastatic, and they start somewhere else in the body and move to the brain.

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 C71Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for malignant neoplasm of brain?

C71 is the ICD-10-CM category for malignant neoplasm of brain, but it is a non-billable header: claims need a more specific code from this category, listed on this page.

Is C71 (Malignant neoplasm of brain) a billable code?

No. This is a category header that groups the codes for malignant neoplasm of brain, and headers cannot be submitted on claims. Claims for malignant neoplasm of brain need a more specific code from this category, such as C71.0, C71.1, and C71.2.

Can C71 be reported with a code from C69.6?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note on C71 lists "retrobulbar malignant neoplasm (C69.6-)". 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).