Secondary carcinoid tumors of distant lymph nodes

This code signifies the presence of metastatic carcinoid tumors that have spread from a primary site to lymph nodes located in a distant region of the body. These are secondary malignant neoplasms, meaning the lymph nodes are not the origin of the carcinoid tumor but rather a site of its dissemination.

Assign this code when documentation confirms carcinoid tumor metastasis to lymph nodes that are not regionally associated with the primary tumor site. This typically requires pathology reports confirming carcinoid histology in the distant lymph node biopsy or excision. Use when the primary site of the carcinoid tumor is known or suspected to be elsewhere.

• Always sequence the primary carcinoid tumor code first, if known, followed by this code for the metastatic site.
• Distinguish carefully between regional lymph node metastasis (which would be coded with the primary site) and distant lymph node metastasis.
• Ensure documentation explicitly states "distant" or specifies a lymph node group not contiguous with the primary tumor.