C44.222 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of right ear and external auricular canal

Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2026.

Applies from C44 Other and unspecified malignant neoplasm of skin

Includes

• malignant neoplasm of sebaceous glands
• malignant neoplasm of sweat glands

Excludes1 (never code together)

• Kaposi's sarcoma of skin (C46.0)
• malignant melanoma of skin (C43.-)
• malignant neoplasm of skin of genital organs (C51-C52, C60.-, C63.2)
• Merkel cell carcinoma (C4A.-)

Applies from C44.2 Other and unspecified malignant neoplasm of skin of ear and external auricular canal

Excludes1 (never code together)

• connective tissue of ear (C49.0)

MS-DRG index

Defines the logic of DRG(s) 606-607 in MDC 09.

Approximate ICD-9-CM (GEMs)

• 173.22 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of ear and external auditory canal (approximate)

Code annotations containing back-references to C44.222

Back-references to C44.2

• Type 1 Excludes: C30.1 Malignant neoplasm of middle ear ("malignant neoplasm of auricular canal (external) (C43.2-,C44.2-)")
• Type 1 Excludes: C30.1 Malignant neoplasm of middle ear ("other and unspecified malignant neoplasm of skin of (external) ear (C44.2-)")

Back-references to C44

• Type 1 Excludes: C76 Malignant neoplasm of other and ill-defined sites ("malignant neoplasm of skin (C44.-)")

Nearby codes

• C44.211 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of unspecified ear and external auricular canal
• C44.212 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of right ear and external auricular canal
• C44.219 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of left ear and external auricular canal
• C44.22 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of ear and external auricular canal
• C44.221 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of unspecified ear and external auricular canal
• C44.222 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of right ear and external auricular canal (this code)
• C44.229 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of left ear and external auricular canal
• C44.29 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of ear and external auricular canal
• C44.291 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of unspecified ear and external auricular canal
• C44.292 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of right ear and external auricular canal
• C44.299 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of left ear and external auricular canal