Malignant neoplasm of other and ill-defined sites in the respiratory system and intrathoracic organs (C39)
The ICD-10 code C39 covers malignant tumors located in various unspecified or less clearly defined parts of the respiratory system and organs inside the chest. It is used when the cancer's exact site in the respiratory or thoracic area cannot be precisely classified.
More specifically, codes like C39.0 and C39.9 represent cancers in the upper and lower regions of the respiratory tract, respectively. The ICD-10 code for malignant neoplasm of upper respiratory tract (C39.0) helps identify cancers in less specific parts of the upper airways, which may go by names such as "Primary malignant neoplasm of upper respiratory tract." Similarly, C39.9 is assigned to malignant tumors in the lower respiratory tract and includes a range of types like primary synovial sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, or squamous cell carcinoma of the respiratory system. These classifications assist medical coders and health professionals in capturing complex cancer cases involving unclear or generalized thoracic locations, ensuring accurate documentation and reporting for treatment and research purposes.
Neoplasms (C00–D49)
Malignant neoplasms of respiratory and intrathoracic organs (C30-C39)
C39 Malignant neoplasm of other and ill-defined sites in the respiratory system and intrathoracic organs
- C39.0 Malignant neoplasm of upper respiratory tract, part unspecified
- C39.9 Malignant neoplasm of lower respiratory tract, part unspecified
Malignant neoplasm of other and ill-defined sites in the respiratory system and intrathoracic organs (C39)
Instructional Notations
Use Additional Code
The “use additional code” indicates that a secondary code could be used to further specify the patient’s condition. This note is not mandatory and is only used if enough information is available to assign an additional code.
- code to identify:
- exposure to environmental tobacco smoke Z77.22
- exposure to tobacco smoke in the perinatal period P96.81
- history of tobacco dependence Z87.891
- occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke Z57.31
- tobacco dependence F17
- tobacco use Z72.0
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.
