C69.30
BillableMalignant neoplasm of unspecified choroid
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
A cancerous tumor of the choroid (the blood vessel layer beneath the retina) when the specific eye is not identified.
Coding Tips
- •Query provider documentation if laterality is mentioned but not clearly specified in the diagnosis
- •Choroidal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults
Clinical Significance
Choroidal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults, arising from melanocytes in the uveal tract. It carries significant mortality risk due to hematogenous metastasis, particularly to the liver. This diagnosis drives substantial resource utilization including specialized imaging, radiation therapy (brachytherapy, proton beam), and long-term systemic surveillance.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Pathology or characteristic clinical and imaging findings (ultrasonography showing dome-shaped or mushroom-shaped choroidal mass)
- ✓Laterality — query required if not documented since this is the unspecified code
- ✓Tumor dimensions (largest basal diameter and height)
- ✓AJCC staging for uveal melanoma
- ✓Liver imaging results for metastatic workup
Commonly Confused Codes
C69.31/C69.32 — Right/left choroid: use laterality-specific codes whenever the affected eye is knownC69.20-C69.22 — Retinal malignancy: choroid is beneath the retina; large choroidal tumors may involve the retina secondarily but the primary site governs codingC69.40-C69.42 — Ciliary body malignancy: the ciliary body is anterior to the choroid; verify exact uveal tract locationD31.30-D31.32 — Benign neoplasm of choroid: choroidal nevi are benign and should not be coded as malignant
Code Hierarchy
└C69Malignant neoplasm of eye and adnexa└C69.3Malignant neoplasm of choroid└C69.30Malignant neoplasm of unspecified choroid
└C69.30Malignant neoplasm of unspecified choroid