C44.10 Unspecified malignant neoplasm of skin of eyelid, including canthus

ICD-10-CM Code C44.10: Unspecified Malignant Neoplasm of Skin of Eyelid, Including Canthus

ICD-10-CM code C44.10 identifies an unspecified malignant neoplasm of the skin of the eyelid, including the canthus, and is classified as a neoplastic process. Malignant eyelid lesions constitute a unique subset of cancers ranging from common cutaneous forms to rare metastatic diseases, and related billing articles list more specific eyelid variants. 1 2 4

Plain-language overview

Code C44.10 designates an unspecified malignant neoplasm of the skin of the eyelid, including the canthus, representing a type of cancer originating in this specific anatomical area. 1

What this code represents

The terminology record classifies C44.10 as an active concept with the semantic type of neoplastic process, establishing its classification within the ICD-10-CM version 2026. 1 6

In the ICD-10-CM hierarchy, C44.10 is a child concept to C44.1, which covers other and unspecified malignant neoplasms of the skin of the eyelid, including the canthus. 1

Clinical context

Malignant eyelid lesions constitute a distinct group of cancers that range from common cutaneous forms like basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma to rare metastatic diseases. 2

Most malignant eyelid lesions are preseptal because they originate in the skin, and age-related changes in the skin may cause these lesions to go unrecognized. 2

Coding details

Billing and coding articles list more specific variants of eyelid neoplasms, such as C44.1021 for an unspecified eyelid and C44.1922 for the right upper eyelid, including canthus. 3 4

Documentation considerations

Clinical literature emphasizes differentiating benign, premalignant, and malignant eyelid lesions based on clinical presentation and examination findings to optimize evaluation and diagnosis. 2

Coverage and utilization context

A Medicare billing and coding article for the excision of malignant skin lesions lists code C44.1021, an unspecified eyelid variant, within its guidance context. 4

What the sources add

Terminology records define the code structure and hierarchical parent, while clinical literature provides the etiology and presentation of malignant eyelid lesions. 1 2

Sources

1. ICD-10-CM C44.10 terminology record — National Cancer Institute Enterprise Vocabulary Services; accessed 2026-07-27.
2. Bookshelf — ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
3. Article - Billing and Coding: Destruction of Malignant Skin Lesions (A57638) — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
4. Article - Billing and Coding: Excision of Malignant Skin Lesions (A57660) — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
5. EVS Explore — evsexplore.semantics.cancer.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
6. EVS Explore — evsexplore.semantics.cancer.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.