C34 Malignant neoplasm of bronchus and lung

In Spanish

The condition this category covers is called Cáncer de pulmón in Spanish. The glossary entry gives the term in eight more languages and phrases for an appointment.

Notes on individual codes in C34

These annotations appear under the child codes in the FY2027 ICD-10-CM Tabular List. Codes not listed here carry no annotation of their own.

C34.0 Malignant neoplasm of main bronchus

Includes: Malignant neoplasm of carina; Malignant neoplasm of hilus (of lung)

C34.90 Malignant neoplasm of unspecified part of unspecified bronchus or lung

Includes: Lung cancer NOS

Coding notes for C34

• C34 is a three-character category heading and is not billable on its own. The Official Guidelines state that "a three-character code is to be used only if it is not further subdivided" and that diagnosis codes are reported "at their highest number of characters available". Of the 21 child codes listed above, 16 are billable and 5 are subcategory headings that need a further character.
• Laterality: 15 of the billable codes in this category name a side (right, left or unspecified). Under the Guidelines, "if the side is not identified in the medical record, assign the code for the unspecified side."
• The fourth character gives the site (main bronchus, upper lobe, middle lobe, lower lobe, overlapping sites, unspecified part); where a fifth character exists it gives the side: 0 unspecified, 1 right, 2 left. C34.2 (middle lobe) is billable at four characters.
• The category carries a "use additional code" note for tobacco exposure, use, dependence or history (Z77.22, P96.81, Z87.891, Z57.31, F17.-, Z72.0).
• Kaposi's sarcoma of lung (C46.5-) and malignant carcinoid tumor of the bronchus and lung (C7A.090) are Excludes1 for the whole category.

How to read the notes

Includes

Appears under a three-character code title "to further define, or give examples of, the content of the category."

Excludes1

"A type 1 Excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means 'NOT CODED HERE!'" The excluded code "should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note."

Excludes2

"A type 2 Excludes note represents 'Not included here.'" The excluded condition is not part of this code, "but a patient may have both conditions at the same time", so both codes may be used together when appropriate.

Code first / Use additional code

Sequencing rules: when a "code first" note is present and an underlying condition is present, "the underlying condition should be sequenced first, if known."

Code also

"Two codes may be required to fully describe a condition, but this note does not provide sequencing direction."

Sources

• ICD-10-CM Files, FY2027 release (effective October 1, 2026) — CDC National Center for Health Statistics
• ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2027 — CDC/NCHS and CMS (the quoted conventions: Sections I.A.10–13, I.A.17, I.B.2, I.B.7, I.B.13)

Code titles, child codes and annotations are reproduced from the FY2027 ICD-10-CM release. This page is a reference, not coding or medical advice.