C30.1
BillableMalignant neoplasm of middle ear
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 middle ear, the air-filled space behind the eardrum that contains tiny bones for hearing.
Coding Tips
- •Middle ear cancer is rare; verify diagnosis carefully and ensure it is not metastatic disease from another site
- •Document whether the cancer involves the mastoid bone or extends beyond the middle ear
Clinical Significance
Middle ear cancer is extremely rare, and most middle ear malignancies are squamous cell carcinomas often associated with chronic otitis media. Due to its rarity, this diagnosis requires careful verification to ensure it is not metastatic disease from another site. These tumors are aggressive and frequently involve the temporal bone, requiring complex surgical management.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Pathology confirmation of primary middle ear malignancy
- ✓Imaging (CT/MRI temporal bone) documenting tumor extent
- ✓Verification that the tumor is primary to the middle ear, not metastatic
- ✓Documentation of any extension into mastoid, inner ear, or intracranial structures
- ✓Treatment plan and stage
Excludes 1 — Do NOT code together
Commonly Confused Codes
C44.21 — Malignant neoplasm of skin of ear: External ear cancers use skin codes; middle ear is internalC30.0 — Nasal cavity cancer: The middle ear communicates with the nasopharynx via the Eustachian tube; ensure correct siteC41.0 — Malignant neoplasm of bones of skull and face: Temporal bone invasion may be coded separatelyH71 — Cholesteatoma of middle ear: Not malignant but can be locally destructive and confused with cancer on imaging
Code Hierarchy
└C30Malignant neoplasm of nasal cavity and middle ear└C30.1Malignant neoplasm of middle ear
└C30.1Malignant neoplasm of middle ear