C02.4
BillableMalignant neoplasm of lingual tonsil
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 lingual tonsil, which is lymphoid tissue located at the base of the tongue.
Coding Tips
- •Lingual tonsil is distinct from palatine tonsils; verify the specific lymphoid tissue involved
- •Confirm histology as these may be lymphomas rather than squamous cell carcinomas
Clinical Significance
Malignant neoplasm of the lingual tonsil is a cancer of the lymphoid tissue at the base of the tongue. These tumors may be squamous cell carcinoma or lymphoma, and the distinction is critical for treatment planning. HPV-associated squamous cell carcinomas of the lingual tonsil have dramatically better prognosis than HPV-negative tumors, making HPV/p16 testing essential.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Pathology confirming malignancy with histologic type (squamous cell carcinoma vs lymphoma)
- ✓HPV/p16 immunohistochemistry status documented
- ✓Documentation specifying lingual tonsil as distinct from palatine tonsil
- ✓TNM staging (staged as oropharyngeal cancer)
- ✓Neck lymph node status documented
- ✓Active vs historical cancer status
Excludes 2 — Not included here, may code separately
- malignant neoplasm of tonsil NOS (C09.9)
Commonly Confused Codes
C01 (Malignant neoplasm of base of tongue) - base of tongue is the broader anatomic region; lingual tonsil is specific lymphoid tissue within itC09.9 (Malignant neoplasm of tonsil, unspecified) - palatine tonsil, not lingual tonsilC09.0 (Malignant neoplasm of tonsillar fossa) - tonsillar fossa is the palatine tonsil area, not lingualC83.30 (Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, unspecified site) - if the tumor is lymphoma rather than carcinoma, lymphoma codes may be more appropriate
Code Hierarchy
└C02Malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified parts of tongue└C02.4Malignant neoplasm of lingual tonsil
└C02.4Malignant neoplasm of lingual tonsil