Skip to main content

C15.9 vs Z85.01

C15.9 (Malignant neoplasm of esophagus, unspecified) compared with Z85.01 (Personal history of malignant neoplasm of esophagus), from the official CMS tabular data. Z85.01 is the personal-history/screening code for the active disease C15.9 names. MedCoder-derived

Relationship

Review

Condition lifecycle relationship

Z85.01
Personal history of malignant neoplasm of esophagus
↔
C15.9
Malignant neoplasm of esophagus, unspecified

Personal-history or screening code versus the active disease.

Active disease for this site (esophagus)

A personal-history code describes a condition that no longer exists and is no longer being treated, so it is not interchangeable with the active-disease code for the same site.

Source: CMS Table of Neoplasms (site match derived from the code title)

Can these codes be reported together?

History or screening versus active disease. Z85.01 is the personal-history or screening code for the active disease C15.9 names.

Site match derived from the code’s own title against the CMS/CDC Table of Neoplasms. A personal-history code describes a condition that no longer exists and is no longer being treated, so it is not interchangeable with the active-disease code.

Side by side

C15.9Malignant neoplasm of esophagus, unspecifiedZ85.01Personal history of malignant neoplasm of esophagus
Billing statusBillableBillable
ClassificationC00-D49 — NeoplasmsZ00-Z99 — Factors influencing health status and contact with health services
DefinitionMalignant neoplasm of esophagus, unspecified is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (C15.9).Personal history of malignant neoplasm of esophagus is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (Z85.01).
Includes—
Conditions classifiable to C15
Use additional code
code to identify:
alcohol abuse and dependence (F10.-)
code to identify:
alcohol use and dependence (F10.-)
exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z77.22)
Code first—
any follow-up examination after treatment of malignant neoplasm (Z08)
Edit this comparisonCheck a whole claim

Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources