Malignant neoplasms of bone and articular cartilage (C40-C41)
ICD-10 codes C40-C41 are used to classify malignant tumors (cancers) originating in the bones and articular cartilage of limbs and other body sites. These codes cover a variety of primary bone cancers affecting long and short bones of the upper and lower limbs, skull, face, vertebral column, ribs, pelvis, and unspecified sites.
This range includes detailed subcategories identifying specific locations such as the scapula, humerus, hand bones, femur, pelvis, and even overlapping or unspecified limb sites. Synonyms like osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, chondrosarcoma, adamantinoma, chordoma, and malignant giant cell tumor of bone correspond to these codes to assist coders when conditions are described by common names. For example, C40.00 refers to malignant bone cancers of the upper limb including terms such as "Primary Ewing sarcoma of scapula" or "osteosarcoma of humerus," while C41.0 represents tumors of the skull and face bones, including "chordoma" and "malignant odontogenic tumor of upper jaw." This coding chapter helps healthcare providers precisely document, report, and manage primary bone and cartilage malignancies at specific anatomical sites, facilitating accurate clinical communication and billing.
Neoplasms (C00–D49)
Malignant neoplasms of bone and articular cartilage (C40-C41)
C40 Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbs
C40.0 Malignant neoplasm of scapula and long bones of upper limb
- 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 limb
- 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 limb
- 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 limb
- 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 limb
- 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 limb
- 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
Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of limbs (C40)
C41 Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of other and unspecified sites
- C41.0 Malignant neoplasm of bones of skull and face
- C41.1 Malignant neoplasm of mandible
- C41.2 Malignant neoplasm of vertebral column
- C41.3 Malignant neoplasm of ribs, sternum and clavicle
- C41.4 Malignant neoplasm of pelvic bones, sacrum and coccyx
- C41.9 Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage, unspecified
Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of other and unspecified sites (C41)
Instructional Notations
Includes
This note appears immediately under a three character code title to further define, or give examples of, the content of the category.
- malignant neoplasm of cartilage (articular) (joint)
- malignant neoplasm of periosteum
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.
