C71.9
Malignant neoplasm of brain, unspecified
Billable FY2026 2025-10-01 → 2026-09-30
This is the unspecified option. 9 more
specific codes sit alongside it. Worth
checking whether the documentation supports one of them.
Exclusions 2 never code together
C71code
Excludes1
- malignant neoplasm of cranial nerves (C72.2-C72.5)C72.2-C72.5
- retrobulbar malignant neoplasm (C69.6-)C69.6-
Excludes1 — never code together. The excluded condition and this one are mutually exclusive.
Instructional notes 8
C00-D49chapter
Notes
- Functional activity
- All neoplasms are classified in this chapter, whether they are functionally active or not. An additional code from Chapter 4 may be used, to identify functional activity associated with any neoplasm.
- Morphology [Histology]
- Chapter 2 classifies neoplasms primarily by site (topography), with broad groupings for behavior, malignant, in situ, benign, etc. The Table of Neoplasms should be used to identify the correct topography code. In a few cases, such as for malignant melanoma and certain neuroendocrine tumors, the morphology (histologic type) is included in the category and codes.
- Primary malignant neoplasms overlapping site boundaries
- A primary malignant neoplasm that overlaps two or more contiguous (next to each other) sites should be classified to the subcategory/code .8 ('overlapping lesion'), unless the combination is specifically indexed elsewhere. For multiple neoplasms of the same site that are not contiguous, such as tumors in different quadrants of the same breast, codes for each site should be assigned.
- Malignant neoplasm of ectopic tissue
- Malignant neoplasms of ectopic tissue are to be coded to the site mentioned, e.g., ectopic pancreatic malignant neoplasms are coded to pancreas, unspecified (C25.9).C25.9
Index entries leading here 16
- Ependymoma (epithelial) (malignant)
- Astrocytoma (cystic)
- Oligodendroglioma
- Astroblastoma
- unspecified site C71.9
- Glioma (malignant)
- Astroglioma
- unspecified site C71.9
- Ependymoblastoma
- unspecified site C71.9
- Gemistocytoma
- unspecified site C71.9
- Glioblastoma (multiforme)
- Gliosarcoma
- unspecified site C71.9
- Sarcoma (of) — see also Neoplasm, connective tissue, malignant
- monstrocellular
- unspecified site C71.9
- monstrocellular
- Tumor — see also Neoplasm, unspecified behavior, by site
- neuroectodermal (peripheral) — see Neoplasm, malignant, by site
- primitive
- unspecified site C71.9
- primitive
- neuroectodermal (peripheral) — see Neoplasm, malignant, by site
- Oligoastrocytoma
- unspecified site C71.9
- Oligodendroblastoma
- unspecified site C71.9
- Spongioblastoma (any type) — see Neoplasm, malignant, by site
- unspecified site C71.9
- Xanthoastrocytoma
- unspecified site C71.9
Alongside this code 9 same parent — C71
C71.0 Malignant neoplasm of cerebrum, except lobes and ventricles C71.1 Malignant neoplasm of frontal lobe C71.2 Malignant neoplasm of temporal lobe C71.3 Malignant neoplasm of parietal lobe C71.4 Malignant neoplasm of occipital lobe C71.5 Malignant neoplasm of cerebral ventricle C71.6 Malignant neoplasm of cerebellum C71.7 Malignant neoplasm of brain stem C71.8 Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of brain
Additional references
AHA Coding Clinic® Licence required
Official coding advice for this code. Published by the American Hospital Association. Not included in this installation.