Wiki When to code current neoplasm versus history of neoplasm?

[Virginia2016]

I have been doing radiology coding for over 10 years now and I was always taught that you use the diagnosis of current neoplasm Over history of neoplasm when the patient is being treated with medicine and up until one year after treatment stops then it becomes history of. For example patient has breast cancer and being treated with tamoxifen and stopped tamoxifen in March after 5 years of treatment that up until March of next year it would be current breast cancer 174.9 and then after that history of V10.3. Can anyone shed some light on this for me if they code it different. And if anyone has any documentation to back up there way I would love to see it.

Thank you - LeighAnn

 

[clopez]

I've never heard about the one year. What I go by is the Official ICD-9 Guidelines for Coding and Reporting found in the ICD-9 book Under Chapter 2 Neoplasms section d.

Under this section it states When a primary malignancy has been previously excised or eradicated from its site and there is no further treatment directed to that site and there is no evidence of any existing primary malignancy, a code from category V10, Personal history of malignant neoplasm, should be used to indicate the former site of the malignancy.

In your scenario if no Tx and no evidence of disease a Hx code would be appropriate.

 

[Virginia2016]

Thank you. I wish I had documentation from when I was taught about the one year issue but I don't. Times and rules change daily so I'm not surprised that it's changed again.

 

[jbrightw]

Please keep in mind that some times it may be documented as 'Chemotherapy completed' but adjuvant therapy might be continued, so it should be coded as V67.2 followed by current neoplasm or vice versa acording to the payer specific guidelines.

Jesus Brightwin