C56.3
BillableMalignant neoplasm of bilateral ovaries
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 22 — Colorectal, Bladder, and Other Cancers
0.000V24HCC 10 — Lymphoma and Other Cancers
0.675ESRDHCC 10 — Lymphoma and Other Cancers
0.000RxHCCHCC 22 — Cancer, Other Specified Sites
0.000What This Code Means
Cancer that affects both ovaries simultaneously or involves both ovaries as part of the same malignant process.
Coding Tips
- •Distinguish between primary bilateral ovarian cancer and metastatic disease from one ovary to the other
- •Document whether cancers are synchronous (occurring at same time) or metachronous (occurring at different times)
Clinical Significance
Bilateral ovarian cancer indicates malignancy affecting both ovaries, which may represent synchronous primary cancers or advanced disease with contralateral spread. Bilateral involvement is common in high-grade serous ovarian cancer and typically indicates at least stage IB disease. This distinction is important for staging, prognosis, and genetic counseling as bilateral disease increases suspicion for hereditary cancer syndromes.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Bilateral ovarian involvement confirmed by imaging, surgery, or pathology
- ✓Determination of whether bilateral involvement is primary or metastatic
- ✓Histological type and grade for each ovary if pathology is different
- ✓FIGO staging reflecting bilateral disease
- ✓Peritoneal involvement assessment
- ✓Lymph node status
- ✓BRCA and hereditary cancer testing (bilateral disease increases suspicion)
- ✓CA-125 levels and tumor marker trends
Commonly Confused Codes
C56.1 + C56.2 — Some coders may assign separate codes for each ovary instead of the bilateral code; C56.3 is the correct single code for bilateral diseaseC56.9 — Unspecified ovary; use only when laterality is truly unknown, not for bilateral diseaseC79.62 — Secondary malignant neoplasm of ovary; use when bilateral involvement is metastatic from another primary site
Code Hierarchy
└C56Malignant neoplasm of ovary└C56.3Malignant neoplasm of bilateral ovaries
└C56.3Malignant neoplasm of bilateral ovaries