Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert
Reader Questions:
Look to This Symptom Code for Unconfirmed Lung Mass
Published on Thu Jun 24, 2021
Question: A patient with a history of pancreatic adenocarcinoma had a lung mass, which could possibly be either metastatic pancreatic cancer or primary lung cancer. However, pathology could not confirm either after a biopsy. How should this be coded? AAPC Forum Participant Answer: As the lung biopsy did not document a confirmed diagnosis, you would code the lung mass with R91.8 (Other nonspecific abnormal finding of lung field). Given that the patient has a history of pancreatic cancer, you should also use Z85.07 (Personal history of malignant neoplasm of pancreas) as a secondary diagnosis.
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