2025 ICD-10-CM code C74
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Neoplasms - Malignant neoplasms of thyroid and other endocrine glands Chapter 2: Neoplasms Feed
Malignant neoplasm of the adrenal gland.
Medical necessity for services related to adrenal gland cancer is established by the presence of signs, symptoms, or imaging findings suggestive of the disease.Further investigations, including biopsies, are medically necessary to confirm the diagnosis and stage the cancer.Treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, is deemed medically necessary based on the specific type and stage of the cancer.
Clinicians diagnosing and managing adrenal gland cancer utilize various diagnostic tools, including physical examination, blood and urine tests to assess hormone levels (cortisol, aldosterone, DHEA, epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine), electrolyte levels (potassium), and imaging studies (ultrasound, adrenal angiography, CT, MRI, PET scans). Biopsies are crucial for definitive diagnosis. Treatment approaches depend on cancer staging and may involve surgery (tumor removal or adrenalectomy), chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and medication to manage hormone imbalances.
In simple words: Adrenal gland cancer is a rare disease in which cancerous cells form in the adrenal glands, which sit atop your kidneys. These glands make hormones that control many bodily functions. The cancer can lead to an overproduction of certain hormones, causing various symptoms.
Malignant neoplasm of the adrenal gland, a rare cancer affecting the adrenal glands, which are located on top of each kidney and responsible for producing hormones that regulate various bodily functions.This code encompasses both functioning tumors (those producing excess hormones) and non-functioning tumors.
Example 1: A 50-year-old patient presents with persistent abdominal pain, weight loss, and fatigue.Imaging reveals a mass in the adrenal gland, and biopsy confirms adrenocortical carcinoma., A 35-year-old woman experiences rapid weight gain, muscle weakness, and hirsutism. Hormonal testing reveals elevated cortisol levels, and subsequent imaging confirms a functioning adrenocortical carcinoma., During a routine abdominal CT scan for an unrelated issue, a small adrenal mass is incidentally discovered. Further investigation and biopsy reveal a non-functioning adrenocortical carcinoma.
Thorough documentation is crucial for accurate coding, including clinical findings (e.g., symptoms, physical exam results), laboratory results (hormone levels, electrolytes), imaging findings (location, size, and characteristics of the tumor), pathology reports (biopsy results confirming malignancy), and treatment details (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation).
** Adrenal gland cancer can be primary, originating in the adrenal gland, or secondary (metastatic), spreading from another cancer site. This code refers to primary adrenal gland cancers. Secondary adrenal gland cancers should be coded to the primary site.
- Specialties:Endocrinology, Oncology, Surgery
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Physician's Office