tci Part B Insider - 2005 Issue 6

Understand Uncertain, Unspecified and In-Situ

If the many categories of neoplasms have you confused, you're not alone. Knowing the basic terminology can help you cut to the chase when coding cancer cell cases. Malignant and Benign Define Main Categories When looking at the neoplasm table, you will notice two main categories of neoplasm: malignant and benign, with three subcategories for malignant, as follows:Primary. A primary malignancy is one arising from the cells found where the physician biopsied the neoplasm, explains Marcella Bucknam, CPC, CCS, CPC-H, CCS-P, HIM Program Coordinator at Clarkson College in Omaha, NE.Secondary. You should use these codes when the neoplasm...

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