Secondary malignant neoplasm of brain and spinal cord

This code signifies the presence of a malignant tumor in the brain or spinal cord that has spread from a primary cancer site elsewhere in the body. It indicates metastatic disease to the central nervous system, not a cancer that originated in these tissues.

Use this code when medical record documentation clearly states a secondary or metastatic malignancy affecting the brain or spinal cord. This typically occurs in patients with a known primary cancer (e.g., lung, breast, melanoma) where imaging or biopsy confirms CNS involvement.

• Always sequence the primary malignant neoplasm first, followed by this code for the secondary site.
• Do not use this code for primary brain or spinal cord tumors; those have specific codes based on histology and location.
• Ensure documentation specifies "secondary," "metastatic," or "spread to" the brain/spinal cord to support this code.