C02.2
BillableMalignant neoplasm of ventral surface 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 of the underside of the tongue, the surface that faces the floor of the mouth.
Coding Tips
- •Ventral surface is the bottom/underside of the tongue; confirm this location in provider documentation
- •This is distinct from the dorsal (top) surface coded as C02.0
Clinical Significance
Malignant neoplasm of the ventral surface of the tongue affects the underside facing the floor of mouth. This location has a thinner mucosal lining and close proximity to major blood vessels and sublingual glands, facilitating early deep invasion and potential spread. Ventral surface cancers may also involve the floor of mouth, creating coding complexity regarding the primary site.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Pathology confirming malignancy with histologic type
- ✓Documentation clearly specifying ventral (undersurface) of tongue as primary site
- ✓Distinction from floor of mouth involvement documented
- ✓Depth of invasion and tumor size documented
- ✓Staging (TNM oral cavity staging system)
- ✓Active disease status confirmed
Commonly Confused Codes
C02.0 (Malignant neoplasm of dorsal surface) - dorsal is top surface; ventral is bottom surfaceC04.0 (Malignant neoplasm of anterior floor of mouth) - if tumor extends to floor of mouth, determine primary site of originC02.1 (Malignant neoplasm of border of tongue) - lateral edge, not undersurfaceC02.8 (Overlapping sites of tongue) - use if tumor spans ventral surface and another tongue subsite
Code Hierarchy
└C02Malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified parts of tongue└C02.2Malignant neoplasm of ventral surface of tongue
└C02.2Malignant neoplasm of ventral surface of tongue