C43.70

Billable

Malignant melanoma of unspecified lower limb, including hip

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 develops on the lower leg, foot, or hip area, but the specific side (right or left) is not documented. This serious cancer requires prompt treatment.

Coding Tips

•Use this code only when laterality cannot be determined from documentation
•Query the provider if laterality is documented elsewhere in the record to assign C43.71 or C43.72

Clinical Significance

Malignant melanoma of an unspecified lower limb, including the hip, with unspecified laterality. The lower extremity is a very common melanoma site, particularly in women. Unspecified laterality represents a documentation gap that should be resolved through provider query, as it affects both clinical tracking and audit defensibility.

Documentation Requirements

✓Attempt to clarify laterality (right vs. left) through provider query
✓Specific lower limb location (hip, thigh, knee, leg, ankle, foot)
✓Breslow depth and ulceration status
✓Sentinel lymph node biopsy results (inguinal/femoral nodes)
✓AJCC staging and mitotic rate
✓Reason laterality is not specified

Commonly Confused Codes

C43.71 — Melanoma of RIGHT lower limb; use when right is documented C43.72 — Melanoma of LEFT lower limb; use when left is documented C43.59 — Melanoma of trunk; hip/buttock boundary can be ambiguous D03.70 — Melanoma in situ of unspecified lower limb; non-invasive

Code Hierarchy

└C43Malignant melanoma of skin └C43.7Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip └C43.70Malignant melanoma of unspecified lower limb, including hip

└C43.70Malignant melanoma of unspecified lower limb, including hip