C49.0 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of head, face and neck

Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2026. Acts as a Complication or Comorbidity (CC) as a secondary diagnosis.

Applicable to

• Malignant neoplasm of connective tissue of ear
• Malignant neoplasm of connective tissue of eyelid

Excludes1 (never code together)

• connective tissue of orbit (C69.6-)

Applies from C49 Malignant neoplasm of other connective and soft tissue

Includes

• malignant neoplasm of blood vessel
• malignant neoplasm of bursa
• malignant neoplasm of cartilage
• malignant neoplasm of fascia
• malignant neoplasm of fat
• malignant neoplasm of ligament, except uterine
• malignant neoplasm of lymphatic vessel
• malignant neoplasm of muscle
• malignant neoplasm of synovia
• malignant neoplasm of tendon (sheath)

Excludes1 (never code together)

• malignant neoplasm of cartilage (of):
• articular (C40-C41)
• larynx (C32.3)
• nose (C30.0)
• malignant neoplasm of connective tissue of breast (C50.-)

Excludes2 (not included here)

• Kaposi's sarcoma of soft tissue (C46.1)
• malignant neoplasm of heart (C38.0)
• malignant neoplasm of peripheral nerves and autonomic nervous system (C47.-)
• malignant neoplasm of peritoneum (C48.2)
• malignant neoplasm of retroperitoneum (C48.0)
• malignant neoplasm of uterine ligament (C57.3)
• mesothelioma (C45.-)

Risk adjustment (HCC)

• CMS-HCC V28: HCC 21 — Lymphoma and Other Cancers
• CMS-HCC V22: HCC 10 — Lymphoma and Other Cancers
• RxHCC V08: HCC 22 — Prostate, Breast, Bladder, and Other Cancers and Tumors
• ESRD V24: HCC 10

MS-DRG index

Defines the logic of DRG(s) 542-544 in MDC 08.

Approximate ICD-9-CM (GEMs)

• 171.0 Malignant neoplasm of connective and other soft tissue of head, face, and neck (approximate)

Code annotations containing back-references to C49.0

Back-references to C49.0

• Type 1 Excludes: C30.1 Malignant neoplasm of middle ear ("malignant neoplasm of cartilage of ear (C49.0)")
• Type 1 Excludes: C41 Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of other and unspecified sites ("malignant neoplasm of cartilage of ear (C49.0)")
• Type 1 Excludes: C41 Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage of other and unspecified sites ("malignant neoplasm of cartilage of eyelid (C49.0)")
• Type 1 Excludes: C44.1 Other and unspecified malignant neoplasm of skin of eyelid, including canthus ("connective tissue of eyelid (C49.0)")
• Type 1 Excludes: C44.2 Other and unspecified malignant neoplasm of skin of ear and external auricular canal ("connective tissue of ear (C49.0)")
• Type 1 Excludes: C69 Malignant neoplasm of eye and adnexa ("malignant neoplasm of connective tissue of eyelid (C49.0)")

Back-references to C49

• Code First: M63 Disorders of muscle in diseases classified elsewhere ("neoplasm (C49.-, C79.89, D21.-, D48.1-)")

Nearby codes

• C49 Malignant neoplasm of other connective and soft tissue
• C49.0 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of head, face and neck (this code)
• C49.1 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of upper limb, including shoulder
• C49.10 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of unspecified upper limb, including shoulder
• C49.11 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of right upper limb, including shoulder
• C49.12 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of left upper limb, including shoulder
• C49.2 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of lower limb, including hip