Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbs (C40) ICD-10-CM
The C40 code range covers malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbs with 25 ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes. 18 of them are billable and valid for claim submission in fiscal year 2026, and the category headers group them but cannot themselves be billed.
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 major osseous defect, if applicable M89.7
Codes in the C40 Range 25 codes · 18 billable
- C40 Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbsNon-billable
- C40.0 Malignant neoplasm of scapula and long bones of upper limbNon-billable
- C40.00 Malignant neoplasm of scapula and long bones of unspecified upper limb
- C40.01 Malignant neoplasm of scapula and long bones of right upper limb
- C40.02 Malignant neoplasm of scapula and long bones of left upper limb
- C40.1 Malignant neoplasm of short bones of upper limbNon-billable
- C40.10 Malignant neoplasm of short bones of unspecified upper limb
- C40.11 Malignant neoplasm of short bones of right upper limb
- C40.12 Malignant neoplasm of short bones of left upper limb
- C40.2 Malignant neoplasm of long bones of lower limbNon-billable
- C40.20 Malignant neoplasm of long bones of unspecified lower limb
- C40.21 Malignant neoplasm of long bones of right lower limb
- C40.22 Malignant neoplasm of long bones of left lower limb
- C40.3 Malignant neoplasm of short bones of lower limbNon-billable
- C40.30 Malignant neoplasm of short bones of unspecified lower limb
- C40.31 Malignant neoplasm of short bones of right lower limb
- C40.32 Malignant neoplasm of short bones of left lower limb
- C40.8 Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of bone and articular cartilage of limbNon-billable
- C40.80 Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of bone and articular cartilage of unspecified limb
- C40.81 Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of bone and articular cartilage of right limb
- C40.82 Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of bone and articular cartilage of left limb
- C40.9 Malignant neoplasm of unspecified bones and articular cartilage of limbNon-billable
- C40.90 Malignant neoplasm of unspecified bones and articular cartilage of unspecified limb
- C40.91 Malignant neoplasm of unspecified bones and articular cartilage of right limb
- C40.92 Malignant neoplasm of unspecified bones and articular cartilage of left limb
Clinical Terms in This Code Range
Definitions from the National Library of Medicine for conditions coded in the C40 range.
Chondromalacia Patellae
A degeneration of the ARTICULAR CARTILAGE of the PATELLA, caused by a decrease in sulfated MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDES in the ground substance. When accompanied by pain, it is sometimes considered part of or confused with PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN SYNDROME.
Patella
The flat, triangular bone situated at the anterior part of the KNEE.
Patella Fracture
Fractures of the PATELLA.
Patellar Dislocation
Displacement of the PATELLA from the femoral groove.
Patellar Ligament
A band of fibrous tissue that attaches the apex of the PATELLA to the lower part of the tubercle of the TIBIA. The ligament is actually the caudal continuation of the common tendon of the QUADRICEPS FEMORIS. The patella is embedded in that tendon. As such, the patellar ligament can be thought of as connecting the quadriceps femoris tendon to the tibia, and therefore it is sometimes called the patellar tendon.
About the C40 Code Range
This set of ICD-10 codes C40 captures malignant tumors originating in the bones and articular cartilage of the limbs. These include cancers affecting both upper and lower limbs, with specific codes differentiating locations such as the scapula, long bones, and short bones.
The segment includes codes like C40.0 for malignant neoplasms of the scapula and long bones of the upper limb, and C40.2 for similar tumors in the long bones of the lower limb. For example, C40.00 addresses unspecified upper limb bones like the scapula, humerus, or ulna, covering conditions also known as Primary Ewing sarcoma, osteosarcoma, or chondrosarcoma of limb bones. Codes C40.10 and C40.30 refer to short bones in the upper and lower limbs respectively, including bones of the hand and foot such as the metacarpals and phalanges. There are also codes for overlapping tumor sites (C40.8) and unspecified limb bones (C40.9). Understanding these codes helps medical coders precisely document malignancies of limb bones, which are often known by terms like "bone cancer of limb," "bone sarcoma," or specific sarcoma types, ensuring accurate classification for treatment and reporting purposes.
Questions About This Page
How many billable codes are in the C40 range?
Of the 25 codes in this range, 18 are billable and valid for claim submission from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Category header codes group them but cannot be reported on claims.
What does the C40 range classify?
The range classifies malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbs. Each code links to its own reference page with billing status, MS-DRG grouping, coding notes, and clinical information.
Related References
Source: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM Tabular List and order file, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
