D12.4 vs Z85.038

D12.4 (Benign neoplasm of descending colon) compared with Z85.038 (Personal history of other malignant neoplasm of large intestine), from the official CMS tabular data. Z85.038 is the personal-history/screening code for the active disease D12.4 names.

Relationship

Review

Condition lifecycle relationship

Z85.038

Personal history of other malignant neoplasm of large intestine

↔

D12.4

Benign neoplasm of descending colon

Personal-history or screening code versus the active disease.

Benign neoplasm of this site (intestine)

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. Z85.038 is the personal-history or screening code for the active disease D12.4 names.

Site match derived from the code’s own title against the CMS 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

	D12.4Benign neoplasm of descending colon	Z85.038Personal history of other malignant neoplasm of large intestine
Billing status	Billable	Billable
Classification	C00-D49 — Neoplasms (C00-D49)	Z00-Z99 — Factors Influencing Health Status and Contact with Health Services (Z00-Z99)
Definition	Benign neoplasm of descending colon is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (D12.4).	Personal history of other malignant neoplasm of large intestine is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (Z85.038).
Includes	—	Conditions classifiable to C18
Use additional code	—	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)

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