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C03.9 vs D10.39

C03.9 (Malignant neoplasm of gum, unspecified) compared with D10.39 (Benign neoplasm of other parts of mouth), from the official CMS tabular data. C03.9 and D10.39 name the same anatomical site (alveolar) with a different neoplasm behavior. MedCoder-derived

Can these codes be reported together?

Informational

Neoplasm table relationship

D10.39
Benign neoplasm of other parts of mouth
↔
C03.9
Malignant neoplasm of gum, unspecified

What we found

Same site, different neoplasm behavior.D10.39 and C03.9 name the same anatomical site (alveolar) with a different neoplasm behavior.

From the CMS/CDC Table of Neoplasms: the behavior documented for that site — malignant primary, secondary, carcinoma in situ, benign, uncertain or unspecified — decides which column, and therefore which code, applies.

What to review

Pick the column of the Table of Neoplasms that matches the behavior documented for the site.

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Why it matters

The behavior documented for the site — malignant primary, secondary, carcinoma in situ, benign, uncertain or unspecified — decides which column of the neoplasm table, and therefore which code, applies.

Source / rule

CMS Table of Neoplasms

Side by side

C03.9Malignant neoplasm of gum, unspecifiedD10.39Benign neoplasm of other parts of mouth
Billing statusBillableBillable
ClassificationC00-D49 — Neoplasms (C00-D49)C00-D49 — Neoplasms (C00-D49)
DefinitionMalignant neoplasm of gum, unspecified is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (C03.9).Benign neoplasm of other parts of mouth is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (D10.39).
Includes
malignant neoplasm of alveolar (ridge) mucosa
malignant neoplasm of gingiva
Benign neoplasm of minor salivary gland NOS
Excludes1—
benign odontogenic neoplasms (D16.4-D16.5)
benign neoplasm of mucosa of lip (D10.0)
benign neoplasm of nasopharyngeal surface of soft palate (D10.6)
Excludes2
malignant odontogenic neoplasms (C41.0-C41.1)
—
Use additional code
code to identify:
alcohol abuse and dependence (F10.-)
history of tobacco dependence (Z87.891)
—

Notes are the code’s own tabular entry, quoted as published. A note that names the other code is the one the verdict above rests on.

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Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). A coding-rule comparison, not billing advice: payer-specific edits and medical-necessity policy are outside its scope. All data sources