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C79.60

Billable

Secondary malignant neoplasm of unspecified ovary

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 18Metastatic Cancer to Peritoneum and Other Specified Sites
0.368
V24HCC 8Metastatic Cancer and Acute Leukemia
2.484
ESRDHCC 8Metastatic Cancer and Acute Leukemia
0.000
RxHCCHCC 18Metastatic Cancer to Lung and Other Respiratory Sites
0.000

What This Code Means

Cancer that has spread to one or both ovaries from another part of the body, but the specific ovary is not identified.

Coding Tips

  • Use this code only when the laterality (which ovary) is unknown or not documented; if laterality is specified, use C79.61, C79.62, or C79.63 instead.
  • This is a secondary cancer code, so always code the primary cancer site first.

Clinical Significance

Secondary malignant neoplasm of an unspecified ovary indicates metastatic cancer has spread to an ovary but laterality is not documented. Krukenberg tumors (ovarian metastases from gastrointestinal primaries) are a classic example. Ovarian metastases require differentiation from primary ovarian cancer, which has vastly different treatment approaches and prognosis.

Documentation Requirements

  • Primary cancer site documented and coded separately
  • Laterality — right, left, or bilateral ovarian involvement
  • Pathological confirmation distinguishing metastatic from primary ovarian cancer
  • Imaging confirmation — CT, MRI, or ultrasound
  • Tumor markers — CA-125, CEA, CA 19-9 to help distinguish primary from metastatic

Commonly Confused Codes

Code Hierarchy

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