tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2007 Issue 4

READER QUESTION: Know Your Terms for Easy Neoplasm Coding

Question: I-m new to coding and unfamiliar with neoplasm terminology. Specifically, what are the definitions of -malignant- vs. -in situ,- etc.? I thought the only thing that mattered was -malignant- or -benign.-Arkansas Subscriber Answer: The neoplasm table in ICD-9 does classify neoplasms into two main categories (malignant and benign), but within each of these are various subcategories.The three subcategories for malignant neoplasms are as follows:Primary: A primary malignancy is one arising from the cells found where the surgeon biopsied the neoplasm.For example, if a female patient has a breast lump in the lower-inner quadrant that...

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