2025 ICD-10-CM code C34.32
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Neoplasms - Malignant neoplasm of lower lobe, left bronchus or lung 2: Neoplasms (C00-D49) Feed
Malignant neoplasm of the lower lobe of the left lung, left bronchus, or lung.
Medical necessity for treatment related to C34.32 must be established based on the stage, type, and location of the cancer, the patient's overall health status, and the potential benefits and risks of the chosen treatment modalities.
Characterized by symptoms like persistent cough (potentially with blood), wheezing, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, chest pain, weakness, weight loss, and recurring respiratory infections. Diagnosis involves physical examination, laboratory tests (CBC, blood chemistry, sputum analysis, respiratory function tests, biopsy), and imaging studies (X-ray, CT, MRI, bronchoscopy, mediastinoscopy, thoracoscopy, PET scan). Treatment options include surgery (if the tumor is operable), chemotherapy, radiotherapy, radiofrequency ablation, and immunotherapy, with treatment approach tailored to the stage and location of the neoplasm.
In simple words: Cancer in the lower part of your left lung, the tube leading to it (left bronchus), or the entire left lung.
Malignant neoplasm originating in the lower lobe of the left lung, the left bronchus, or the left lung in general. This code encompasses primary malignancies and includes those arising from the bronchial mucosa or lung cells, which can potentially metastasize to adjacent tissues, blood vessels, or lymphatic vessels.
Example 1: A 65-year-old patient with a history of smoking presents with a persistent cough and weight loss. A chest X-ray reveals a suspicious mass in the lower lobe of the left lung. Subsequent biopsy confirms a primary lung malignancy, leading to the assignment of code C34.32., A 50-year-old patient undergoes bronchoscopy due to hemoptysis (coughing up blood).A biopsy taken from the left bronchus reveals squamous cell carcinoma.The appropriate code for this malignancy is C34.32., During a routine health check-up, a CT scan incidentally detects a small nodule in the lower lobe of a patient's left lung.Further investigation and biopsy confirm the nodule to be malignant, making C34.32 the correct diagnostic code.
Thorough documentation of medical history, physical examination findings, results of laboratory and imaging studies (including biopsy), and the specific location and characteristics of the malignancy within the lower lobe of the left lung or left bronchus are essential for accurate coding.
- Specialties:Pulmonary Oncology, Thoracic Surgery, Oncology, Radiology
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Physician's Office