neoplasm

DEFINITION of neoplasm

The term neoplasm refers to an abnormal mass of tissue that forms when cells grow and divide more than they should, or do not die when they should. The growth of this “new tissue” is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue and persists in the same excessive manner even after the cessation of the stimuli which evoked the change. Neoplasms are broadly categorized clinically and histologically into benign (non-cancerous, localized, non-invasive), premalignant (such as carcinoma in situ or severe dysplasia), and malignant (cancerous, capable of invading surrounding structures and distant metastasis).

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ETYMOLOGY of neoplasm

greek

Component	Origin	Meaning
neo-	Greek neos (νέος)	“New”
-plasm	Greek plasma (πλάσμα)	“Formation, thing formed, or molded”

The roots combine directly to mean “new formation.” The term was introduced into English medical literature in the mid-to-late 19th century as cellular pathology advanced, providing a scientific descriptor for what laypeople and early physicians called “tumors.”

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🔀 ALIASES / ALTERNATE TERMS

• Tumor (originally meant any swelling, but now used synonymously with solid neoplasms)
• Mass
• New growth
• Lesion (broad term, can include non-neoplastic conditions)
• Nodule
• Polyp (a macroscopic descriptive term for a neoplasm projecting from a mucosal surface)

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🔗 RELATED TERMS

• Carcinoma — a malignant neoplasm arising from epithelial tissue.
• Sarcoma — a malignant neoplasm arising from mesenchymal/connective tissue (bone, muscle, fat).
• benign — a non-malignant neoplasm that does not invade or metastasize.
• malignant — a cancerous neoplasm characterized by uncontrolled growth, invasion, and potential metastasis.
• Metastasis — the spread of malignant neoplastic cells to secondary, distant organs.
• hyperplasia — an increase in the number of normal cells in a tissue, which is a physiologic or appropriate response, unlike the uncontrolled growth in neoplasia.
• Dysplasia — abnormal cellular development or organization, often considered a precursor to malignant neoplasia.
• Oncology — the medical specialty dedicated to the study, diagnosis, and treatment of neoplasms.

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CODING CORNER

🏥 ICD-10-CM CODES

Malignant Neoplasms (Examples)

Code	Description
C80.1	Malignant (primary) neoplasm, unspecified
C34.90	Malignant neoplasm of unspecified part of unspecified bronchus or lung
C50.919	Malignant neoplasm of unspecified site of unspecified female breast
C79.9	Secondary malignant neoplasm of unspecified site

Benign Neoplasms (Examples)

Code	Description
D24.9	Benign neoplasm of unspecified breast
D12.6	Benign neoplasm of colon, unspecified
D17.9	Benign lipomatous neoplasm, unspecified (Lipoma)
D22.9	Melanocytic nevi, unspecified (Benign mole)

Neoplasms of Uncertain & Unspecified Behavior

Code	Description
D48.9	Neoplasm of uncertain behavior, unspecified
D39.10	Neoplasm of uncertain behavior of unspecified ovary
D49.9	Neoplasm of unspecified behavior of unspecified site
D49.2	Neoplasm of unspecified behavior of bone, soft tissue, and skin

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🔧 COMMON CPT CODES (Neoplasm-Related Procedures)

CPT Code	Description
11400	Excision, benign lesion including margins, except skin tag (unless listed elsewhere), trunk, arms or legs; excised diameter 0.5 cm or less
11600	Excision, malignant lesion including margins, trunk, arms, or legs; excised diameter 0.5 cm or less
11102	Tangential biopsy of skin (e.g., shave, scoop, saucerize, curette); single lesion
19081	Biopsy, breast, with placement of breast localization device(s) (e.g., clip, metallic pellet), when performed, and imaging of the biopsy specimen, when performed, percutaneous; first lesion, including stereotactic guidance
45380	Colonoscopy, flexible; with biopsy, single or multiple
88305	Level IV - Surgical pathology, gross and microscopic examination (the standard path evaluation to determine benign vs. malignant)

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⚠️ Coding Note: In ICD-10-CM, coding for a neoplasm requires utilizing the Table of Neoplasms. You must determine the site and the behavior: Malignant Primary, Malignant Secondary, Ca in situ, Benign, Uncertain, or Unspecified.

• Uncertain behavior (D37-D48) means the pathologist has examined the tissue and cannot predict whether it is benign or malignant.
• Unspecified behavior (D49) means the physician simply documented “tumor” or “mass” without providing the pathology results or definitive diagnosis. Always query the provider or wait for the pathology report if a definitive diagnosis is pending before applying an “Unspecified” code.

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DERIVATIONS of neoplasm

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Query functionality

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Med roots Appendix A Prefixes Appendix B Combining Forms Appendix C Suffixes Appendix D Suffix forms