C69.22
BillableMalignant neoplasm of left retina
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 23 — Melanoma and Other Skin Cancers
0.251V24HCC 12 — Breast, Prostate, and Other Cancers and Tumors
0.150ESRDHCC 12 — Breast, Prostate, and Other Cancers and Tumors
0.000RxHCCHCC 22 — Cancer, Other Specified Sites
0.000What This Code Means
This code describes cancer that has started in the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the left eye. It represents a malignant (cancerous) tumor originating in the retinal cells.
Coding Tips
- •Ensure the documentation specifically identifies the retina as the site of the malignancy and confirms it is the left eye, as laterality (left vs. right) is required for accurate coding
- •Do not use this code for metastatic cancer that has spread to the retina from another site; instead, use codes for secondary neoplasms with the primary site documented separately
Clinical Significance
Left retinal malignancy carries the same diagnostic and therapeutic urgency as right-sided disease. In children with bilateral retinoblastoma, accurate laterality coding for each eye is essential for tracking treatment response and surveillance planning. In adults, retinal melanoma of the left eye requires the same urgent workup for metastatic disease.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Pathology or clinical findings confirming malignancy
- ✓Explicit documentation of left eye involvement
- ✓Fundoscopic examination findings with tumor characteristics
- ✓Staging and tumor measurement (base diameter, height)
- ✓Treatment modality planned or initiated
Commonly Confused Codes
C69.21 — Right retina: verify laterality from clinical documentationC69.32 — Left choroid: confirm the primary tumor layer (retina versus choroid)C69.20 — Unspecified retina: use C69.22 when left eye is documentedC79.49 — Secondary neoplasm of nervous system: distinguish primary from metastatic retinal tumors