2025 ICD-10-CM code Z17.1
Estrogen receptor negative status [ER-]. This code indicates that cancer cells do not require estrogen for growth and will continue to grow even in the absence of estrogen or when treated with estrogen blockers.
Medical necessity for testing and using Z17.1 is established by the need to guide treatment decisions for patients with suspected or confirmed hormone-sensitive cancers, primarily breast and some other cancers, such as prostate cancer.Determining the estrogen receptor status assists in predicting prognosis and selecting appropriate therapeutic strategies.
Clinicians use this code to document the estrogen receptor status of a patient's cells, typically within the context of cancer diagnosis and treatment planning.This information is crucial for determining the appropriate course of treatment.
- Chapter 21: Factors Influencing Health Status and Contact with Health Services (Z00-Z99)
- Z17-Z17.1, Estrogen receptor status
In simple words: The test showed that your cells don't have receptors for estrogen.This means that estrogen doesn't affect the growth of these cells.
Estrogen receptor negative status [ER-] indicates the absence of estrogen receptors on the surface of cells.This means that the growth and proliferation of these cells, particularly cancer cells, are not fueled by estrogen. As a result, therapies targeting estrogen pathways are unlikely to be effective.
Example 1: A 55-year-old female patient is diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.Biopsy results indicate that the tumor cells are estrogen receptor negative.The code Z17.1 is used to document this finding, guiding treatment decisions away from estrogen-blocking therapies., A 60-year-old male patient is undergoing testing for metastatic prostate cancer.The lab results return showing that the cancer cells are estrogen receptor negative (ER-). The physician documents this finding using Z17.1, aiding in understanding the behavior of the cancer., A 48-year-old female patient with a history of breast cancer is being monitored for recurrence. A routine mammogram reveals suspicious findings, and a subsequent biopsy shows atypical hyperplasia with ER-negative status. Z17.1 is used to document this, influencing risk assessment and guiding prophylactic measures.
Documentation should include the results of the estrogen receptor assay, typically performed on a tissue biopsy specimen. The report should clearly indicate "ER-negative" or provide a quantified value below the clinically significant threshold.
** This code is primarily used in the context of cancer care and should not be used for other estrogen-related conditions not related to malignant neoplasms. Always code the underlying malignancy first.
- Payment Status: Active
- Specialties:Oncology, Pathology, Surgery, General Practice
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Office, Independent Clinic, Independent Laboratory