C78 is the authoritative medical code for Secondary malignant neoplasm of respiratory and digestive organs. This classification is used in medical billing and clinical recording to specify the clinical criteria for secondary malignant neoplasm of respiratory and digestive organs (ICD-10-CM C78), ensuring healthcare documentation aligns with 2026 federal coding standards.
Billing Status: NO. This is a clinician non-billable / parent hierarchy grouping in the ICD-10-CM system.
Official Registry Overview & Definition
Secondary malignant neoplasm of respiratory and digestive organs is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code C78. A more specific billable subcode must be selected for claims submission. Excludes1 (not coded here): secondary carcinoid tumors of liver C7B.02; secondary carcinoid tumors of peritoneum C7B.04. Excludes2 (not included here): lymph node metastases C77.0.
Official Tabular Instructional Notes
Sequencing, inclusion, and exclusion notes published for C78 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list.
Excludes1 — Not Coded Here
Conditions that can never be reported with this code; the two are mutually exclusive.
- secondary carcinoid tumors of liver C7B.02
- secondary carcinoid tumors of peritoneum C7B.04
Excludes2 — Not Included Here
Conditions not covered by this code, but which may be reported alongside it when both are present.
- lymph node metastases C77.0
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Clinical Guidance
Can C78 be billed directly?
No. C78 (Secondary malignant neoplasm of respiratory and digestive organs) is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code. A more specific billable subcode must be selected based on clinical documentation.
What can't be coded together with C78?
Per Excludes1 instructions, C78 must not be reported with: secondary carcinoid tumors of liver (C7B.02); secondary carcinoid tumors of peritoneum (C7B.04).
Can C78 be reported alongside related conditions?
Per Excludes2 instructions, C78 and the following may both be reported when both are present: lymph node metastases (C77.0).
Codes in This Family (9)
Official ICD-10-CM classifications in the same code family as C78, with their registry titles.
- C78.0 — Secondary malignant neoplasm of lung
- C78.1 — Secondary malignant neoplasm of mediastinum
- C78.2 — Secondary malignant neoplasm of pleura
- C78.3 — Secondary malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified respiratory organs
- C78.4 — Secondary malignant neoplasm of small intestine
- C78.5 — Secondary malignant neoplasm of large intestine and rectum
- C78.6 — Secondary malignant neoplasm of retroperitoneum and peritoneum
- C78.7 — Secondary malignant neoplasm of liver and intrahepatic bile duct
- C78.8 — Secondary malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified digestive organs
Related Codes & Numerical Sequence (Crawl Map)
Search engines and indexers are advised to traverse adjacent medical codes in this sub-chapter range to find correlated diagnoses or therapeutic procedures:
ICD Code C75
Malignant neoplasm of other endocrine glands and related structures
ICD Code C76
Malignant neoplasm of other and ill-defined sites
ICD Code C77
Secondary and unspecified malignant neoplasm of lymph nodes
ICD Code C79
Secondary malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified sites
ICD Code C80
Malignant neoplasm without specification of site