C43.20

Billable

Malignant melanoma of unspecified ear and external auricular canal

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 23 — Melanoma and Other Skin Cancers

0.251

V24HCC 12 — Breast, Prostate, and Other Cancers and Tumors

0.150

ESRDHCC 12 — Breast, Prostate, and Other Cancers and Tumors

0.000

RxHCCHCC 22 — Cancer, Other Specified Sites

0.000

What This Code Means

A type of skin cancer (melanoma) that starts on the ear or in the ear canal, but the specific ear (left or right) is not documented.

Coding Tips

•Use this code only when laterality cannot be determined from the medical record
•If documentation specifies right or left ear, use C43.21 or C43.22 instead for greater specificity

Clinical Significance

Malignant melanoma of the ear and external auricular canal with unspecified laterality. The ear is a common sun-exposed site for melanoma, particularly the helix and antihelix. Ear melanomas have a higher rate of regional metastasis compared to other head and neck melanomas. Unspecified laterality should trigger a provider query.

Documentation Requirements

✓Attempt to clarify laterality (right vs. left ear)
✓Specific part of the ear involved (helix, antihelix, lobule, tragus, external canal)
✓Breslow depth and ulceration status
✓Sentinel lymph node biopsy results (parotid and cervical basins)
✓AJCC staging and mitotic rate
✓Treatment plan

Commonly Confused Codes

C43.21 — Melanoma of RIGHT ear; use when right side is documented C43.22 — Melanoma of LEFT ear; use when left side is documented C44.20 — Other skin cancer of unspecified ear; for basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma D03.20 — Melanoma in situ of unspecified ear; non-invasive, no HCC mapping

Code Hierarchy

└C43Malignant melanoma of skin └C43.2Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal └C43.20Malignant melanoma of unspecified ear and external auricular canal

└C43.20Malignant melanoma of unspecified ear and external auricular canal