Alphabetic Index FY2027

C43.2

Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal

FY2027Chapter 2: Neoplasms/C43–C44 Melanoma and other malignant neoplasms of skin

Non-billable headerNot valid on its own. Use one of the more specific codes under it.

C43.2 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM code header for malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal. Report a more specific code from it instead. It is part of the FY2027 code set, effective October 1, 2026. The more specific codes under it are C43.20 Malignant melanoma of unspecified ear and external auricular canal, C43.21 Malignant melanoma of right ear and external auricular canal and C43.22 Malignant melanoma of left ear and external auricular canal. Its coding notes include 1 Excludes1 entry and 3 Excludes2 entries.

Guidelines tip

From the FY2027 Official Guidelines. ICD10Ref adds no rules of its own.

A primary malignancy code stays in use until treatment directed at that site is completed. After that, with no evidence of disease at the site, Z85 gives the former site.

Guidelines I.C.2.mCurrent malignancy versus personal history of malignancyRead the official text

Excludes1

Not coded here. The listed conditions generally should not be reported together.

Inherited from C43 Malignant melanoma of skin

Excludes2

Not included here. Both codes may be reported if the patient has both conditions.

Inherited from C43 Malignant melanoma of skin
  • malignant melanoma of skin of genital organs (C51-C52, C60.-, C63.-)
  • Merkel cell carcinoma (C4A.-)
  • sites other than skin-code to malignant neoplasm of the site

Notes

Also from chapter/block level (8 notes)
Inherited from Chapter 2 Neoplasms
  • Functional activity
  • All neoplasms are classified in this chapter, whether they are functionally active or not. An additional code from Chapter 4 may be used, to identify functional activity associated with any neoplasm.
  • Morphology [Histology]
  • Chapter 2 classifies neoplasms primarily by site (topography), with broad groupings for behavior, malignant, in situ, benign, etc. The Table of Neoplasms should be used to identify the correct topography code. In a few cases, such as for malignant melanoma and certain neuroendocrine tumors, the morphology (histologic type) is included in the category and codes.
  • Primary malignant neoplasms overlapping site boundaries
  • A primary malignant neoplasm that overlaps two or more contiguous (next to each other) sites should be classified to the subcategory/code .8 ('overlapping lesion'), unless the combination is specifically indexed elsewhere. For multiple neoplasms of the same site that are not contiguous, such as tumors in different quadrants of the same breast, codes for each site should be assigned.
  • Malignant neoplasm of ectopic tissue
  • Malignant neoplasms of ectopic tissue are to be coded to the site mentioned, e.g., ectopic pancreatic malignant neoplasms are coded to pancreas, unspecified (C25.9).

Alphabetic Index terms

Terms the official Alphabetic Index lists for this code. 7 entries

More specific codes under C43.2 3