C50.0 (Malignant neoplasm of nipple and areola) compared with C79.81 (Secondary malignant neoplasm of breast), from the official CMS tabular data. C50.0 and C79.81 name the same anatomical site (areola) with a different neoplasm behavior.
Same anatomical site, different neoplasm behavior.
Same site — secondary malignancy (areola)
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: CMS Table of Neoplasms
Same site, different neoplasm behavior. C50.0 and C79.81 name the same anatomical site (areola) with a different neoplasm behavior.
From the CMS 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.
| C50.0Malignant neoplasm of nipple and areola | C79.81Secondary malignant neoplasm of breast | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Non-billable header | Billable |
| Classification | C00-D49 — Neoplasms | C00-D49 — Neoplasms |
| Definition | Malignant neoplasm of nipple and areola is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (C50.0). | Secondary malignant neoplasm of breast is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (C79.81). |
| Includes | connective tissue of breast Paget's disease of breast Paget's disease of nipple | — |
| Use additional code | code to identify estrogen, and other hormones and factors receptor status (Z17.-) | — |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources