C46.1
BillableKaposi's sarcoma of soft tissue
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 21 — Breast, Prostate, Colorectal and Other Cancers and Tumors
0.545V24HCC 10 — Lymphoma and Other Cancers
0.675ESRDHCC 10 — Lymphoma and Other Cancers
0.000RxHCCHCC 20 — Cancer, Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct
0.000What This Code Means
A cancer of blood vessel cells in soft tissues (muscles, fat, connective tissue) that can occur internally or superficially.
Coding Tips
- •Soft tissue Kaposi's sarcoma may involve multiple anatomical sites; document all involved areas and whether lesions are localized or disseminated
- •Distinguish from skin-only involvement (C46.0) by confirming involvement of deeper soft tissue structures
Clinical Significance
Kaposi sarcoma of soft tissue indicates deeper tissue involvement beyond the skin surface, suggesting more advanced or aggressive disease. This distinction from cutaneous-only disease is clinically significant because soft tissue involvement often requires more intensive treatment and indicates a worse prognosis.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Pathology confirmation of Kaposi sarcoma in soft tissue structures (muscle, fat, connective tissue)
- ✓Distinction from skin-only disease — documentation must specify deeper tissue involvement
- ✓Underlying immunodeficiency status and current treatment
- ✓Imaging studies confirming soft tissue mass or infiltration
- ✓Assessment of extent of disease (localized versus disseminated)
Excludes 2 — Not included here, may code separately
- Kaposi's sarcoma of lymph glands and nodes (C46.3)
Commonly Confused Codes
C46.0 (Kaposi sarcoma of skin) — use for cutaneous-only disease; C46.1 requires deeper soft tissue involvementC49._ (Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue) — other sarcoma types (not Kaposi) of soft tissueC46.9 (Kaposi sarcoma, unspecified) — avoid when soft tissue involvement is documented