2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code C79

Secondary malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified sites

ICD-10-CM Code:
C79
ICD-10 Code for:
Secondary malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified sites
Is Billable?
Not Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Neoplasms
    (C00–D49)
    • Malignant neoplasms of ill-defined, other secondary and unspecified sites
      (C76-C80)
      • Secondary malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified sites
        (C79)

C79 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of secondary malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified sites. 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.

Unspecified diagnosis codes like C79 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.

Specific Coding Applicable to Secondary malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified sites

Non-specific codes like C79 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 secondary malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified sites:

  • C79.0 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of kidney and renal pelvis - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.00 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of unspecified kidney and renal pelvis - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.01 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of right kidney and renal pelvis - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.02 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of left kidney and renal pelvis - BILLABLE CODE

  • C79.1 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of bladder and other and unspecified urinary organs - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.10 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of unspecified urinary organs - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.11 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of bladder - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.19 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of other urinary organs - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.2 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of skin - BILLABLE CODE

  • C79.3 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of brain and cerebral meninges - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.31 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of brain - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.32 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of cerebral meninges - BILLABLE CODE

  • C79.4 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified parts of nervous system - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.40 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of unspecified part of nervous system - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.49 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of other parts of nervous system - BILLABLE CODE

  • C79.5 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of bone and bone marrow - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.51 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of bone - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.52 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of bone marrow - BILLABLE CODE

  • C79.6 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of ovary - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.60 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of unspecified ovary - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.61 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of right ovary - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.62 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of left ovary - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.63 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of bilateral ovaries - BILLABLE CODE

  • C79.7 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of adrenal gland - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.70 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of unspecified adrenal gland - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.71 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of right adrenal gland - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.72 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of left adrenal gland - BILLABLE CODE

  • C79.8 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of other specified sites - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.81 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of breast - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.82 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of genital organs - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.89 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of other specified sites - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use C79.9 for Secondary malignant neoplasm of unspecified site - 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.
  • secondary carcinoid tumors C7B
  • secondary neuroendocrine tumors C7B

Patient Education


Cancer

Cancer begins in your cells, which are the building blocks of your body. Normally, your body forms new cells as you need them, replacing old cells that die. Sometimes this process goes wrong. New cells grow even when you don't need them, and old cells don't die when they should. These extra cells can form a mass called a tumor. Tumors can be benign or malignant. Benign tumors aren't cancer while malignant ones are. Cells from malignant tumors can invade nearby tissues. They can also break away and spread to other parts of the body.

Cancer is not just one disease but many diseases. There are more than 100 different types of cancer. Most cancers are named for where they start. For example, lung cancer starts in the lung, and breast cancer starts in the breast. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another is called metastasis. Symptoms and treatment depend on the cancer type and how advanced it is. Most treatment plans may include surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy. Some may involve hormone therapy, immunotherapy or other types of biologic therapy, or stem cell transplantation.

NIH: National Cancer Institute


[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.