Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

Prepare for more specific codes for male breast cancer patients.ICD-9-CM codes for breast neoplasms are fairly specific, but your ICD-10-CM options kick the detail requirements up another notch. Here's the lowdown on how ICD-10-CM incorporates additional anatomic information and increases the data needed when you code for male patients.ICD-9-CM coding rules: Using ICD-9-CM 2011, your coding options for primary breast neoplasms differ based on sex.For female patients you use 174.x (Malignant neoplasm of female breast), and your fourth digit options relate to anatomic location:174.0, ... nipple and areola174.1, ... central portion174.2, ... upper-inner quadrant174.3, ... lower-inner quadrant174.4, ... upper-outer quadrant174.5, ... lower-outer quadrant174.6, ... axillary tail174.8, ... other specified sites of female breast174.9, ... breast (female), unspecified.For male patients, you use 175.x (Male neoplasm of male breast). The fourth digit again relates to anatomic site, but the list is much shorter:175.0, ...nipple and areola175.9, ... other and unspecified sites of male breast.ICD-9-CM instructions for both 174.x and 175.x tell you [...]