ICD-10 Code C96 – Other and unspecified malignant neoplasms of lymphoid, hematopoietic and related tissue (2026): Diagnosis, Symptoms & Billing Guide
2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code C96 – Other and unspecified malignant neoplasms of lymphoid, hematopoietic and related tissue
What it is
C96 identifies malignant neoplasms of lymphoid, hematopoietic, or related tissue that are not classified elsewhere. Use it when the record documents a rare or unspecified cancer in this tissue group and a more specific code is not available.
Clinical signs
Clinical features vary; refer to documentation. Records may describe a confirmed malignant tumor involving lymphoid or blood-forming tissue, with pathology, imaging, or specialist assessment supporting the diagnosis.
When to use this code
Use C96 when the provider documents an “other” or unspecified malignant neoplasm of lymphoid, hematopoietic, or related tissue and no narrower diagnosis is stated. It is appropriate when the chart supports malignancy but does not name a more specific site or subtype. Check documentation if the pathology report later identifies a specific entity.
Do not use for
Do not use this code for benign, in situ, or uncertain lesions, or when the record supports a more specific hematologic malignancy code. If the diagnosis is better described elsewhere, code that condition instead.
Coding tip
Query for the exact histology and site before assigning C96, because many lymphoid and hematopoietic cancers have more specific codes.