C38.3 vs C49.3
C38.3 (Malignant neoplasm of mediastinum, part unspecified) compared with C49.3 (Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of thorax), from the official CMS tabular data. Do not report these codes together: the official tabular list marks them Excludes1.
Can these codes be reported together?
No — do not report together. C49.3 carries an Excludes1 note covering C38.3: “malignant neoplasm of mediastinum (C38.1-C38.3)”
Sole exception: when the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
Side by side
| C38.3Malignant neoplasm of mediastinum, part unspecified | C49.3Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of thorax | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Billable | Billable |
| Classification | C00-D49 — Neoplasms (C00-D49) | C00-D49 — Neoplasms (C00-D49) |
| Definition | Malignant neoplasm of mediastinum, part unspecified is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (C38.3). | Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of thorax is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (C49.3). |
| Includes | malignant neoplasm of middle ear | malignant neoplasm of blood vessel malignant neoplasm of bursa malignant neoplasm of cartilage malignant neoplasm of fascia |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources