C84.60
BillableAnaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK-positive, unspecified site
HCC Category Mapping
What This Code Means
This is a type of aggressive blood cancer where large abnormal cells grow without a specific identified location in the body. It is characterized by a positive ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase) protein marker, which helps doctors identify and treat this particular cancer type.
Coding Tips
- •Use this code only when the site of the lymphoma is unknown or not specified; if a specific anatomical site is documented, use the appropriate site-specific code (C84.61-C84.69)
- •Verify ALK-positive status is documented in the pathology report before coding; ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma uses a different code (C84.70)
Clinical Significance
Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK-positive, unspecified site represents an aggressive T-cell lymphoma with the ALK fusion protein, which paradoxically confers a better prognosis than ALK-negative disease. ALK-positive ALCL primarily affects younger patients and has a 5-year survival rate of approximately 70-80%. The ALK status is a critical molecular distinction that guides treatment decisions including the use of targeted therapies like crizotinib.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Pathology report with hallmark cells (kidney-shaped nuclei) characteristic of ALCL
- ✓Immunohistochemistry confirming ALK protein expression (ALK-positive)
- ✓CD30 positivity documented (defining feature of ALCL)
- ✓T-cell lineage confirmation through immunophenotyping
- ✓Clinical staging documentation
- ✓Provider should document the specific site if known to enable more specific code assignment