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Urology Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Undetectable PSA Diagnosis

Published on Mon Jul 01, 2002

Question: What diagnosis should we use when a patient had prostate cancer but has been treated and now has an undetectable prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level? South Carolina Subscriber Answer: When a patient has no clinical or laboratory evidence of a previously treated malignancy, you may use one of the appropriate V codes. In this example, you should report V10.46 (Personal history of malignant neoplasm; genital organs; prostate). If cancer treatment is continuing that is, Lupron therapy continue to use the cancer diagnosis (185, Malignant neoplasm of prostate). The urologist must determine whether the cancer is "current" or "history of." Therefore, rely on the physician's documentation when selecting the diagnosis code.  
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