C02.1
BillableMalignant neoplasm of border of tongue
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 21 — Breast, Prostate, Colorectal and Other Cancers and Tumors
0.545V24HCC 11 — Colorectal, Bladder, and Other Cancers
0.306ESRDHCC 11 — Colorectal, Bladder, and Other Cancers
0.000RxHCCHCC 22 — Cancer, Other Specified Sites
0.000What This Code Means
Cancer that develops along the edges or sides of the tongue.
Coding Tips
- •Border of tongue includes the lateral margins; verify documentation specifies edge location
- •Do not confuse with anterior two-thirds unspecified (C02.3) which may include border areas
Clinical Significance
Malignant neoplasm of the border (lateral margin) of the tongue is the most common location for oral tongue cancer, accounting for approximately 45% of all tongue malignancies. The lateral border has the highest concentration of carcinogen exposure from tobacco and alcohol. Early detection is critical as lateral tongue cancers are accessible for clinical examination but can rapidly invade deep musculature.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Pathology confirming malignancy with histologic type (usually squamous cell carcinoma)
- ✓Documentation specifying border/lateral margin as the primary site
- ✓Laterality documented: right, left, or bilateral involvement
- ✓Depth of invasion measured in millimeters (critical for T-staging in 8th edition AJCC)
- ✓Neck lymph node status: clinical and/or pathologic
- ✓Active treatment plan vs surveillance
Commonly Confused Codes
C02.0 (Malignant neoplasm of dorsal surface) - top surface, not the lateral edgeC02.2 (Malignant neoplasm of ventral surface) - bottom surface, not the lateral edgeC02.3 (Anterior two-thirds, unspecified) - use only when border vs dorsal vs ventral is not documentedC01 (Malignant neoplasm of base of tongue) - posterior location with different staging system
Code Hierarchy
└C02Malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified parts of tongue└C02.1Malignant neoplasm of border of tongue
└C02.1Malignant neoplasm of border of tongue