History of cancer

[sparks]

Is there a time limitation to when to stop using History of cancer? Example: patient is NED with breast cancer and has stopped taking any prophylactic medications. Basically the patient is not being treated for the disease at all. When can ICD-10 code Z85.3 be left out of the patient record?

 

[danachock]

Hello sparks,
I googled NED and unless you are a clinician to state the patient has no evidence of disease; you code the history.
When can the Z85.3 be removed from their record; well, you again need to go back to school and become a clinician to state Z85.3 can be left off the patient's record after certain designated cancer guidelines. We have ICD guidelines. Have you read them?
The patient has "no evidence of disease" stopped taking prophylactic medications (they somehow felt unnecessary now).
STOP NOW, look at what you are coding. If you are a clinician, please ignore me or if a coder please follow our ICD Guidelines okay.
Dana ​

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[kpomonis]

The history of cancer code (Z85.x) should be used indefinitely once the cancer is no longer active and the patient is in remission or fully treated, unless the cancer recurs. It does not "expire" and can continue to be coded for the life of the patient, as long as there is no recurrence of active cancer.