In neoplasm coding, remission and relapse have distinct meanings:
- Remission: This refers to a period during which the signs and symptoms of cancer are reduced or absent. Remission can be complete or partial. In the context of ICD-10-CM coding, a patient is considered to be in remission if there is no evidence of the active disease, and there is no ongoing treatment being provided to manage the disease. A code from category Z85 (Personal history of malignant neoplasm) may be used to indicate the history of the cancer, while a code from category Z08 (Encounter for follow-up examination after completed treatment for malignant neoplasm) may be used for the follow-up care.
- Relapse: This refers to the return of active cancer after a period of remission. In the context of ICD-10-CM coding, a code from category C77 (Secondary and unspecified malignant neoplasm of lymph nodes) may be used to indicate the recurrence of the cancer in the lymph nodes, while a code from category C80 (Malignant neoplasm, without specification of site) may be used to indicate the recurrence of the cancer in other parts of the body. The specific code used will depend on the location and type of cancer.
It is important to differentiate between remission and relapse when coding neoplasms, as they have different implications for patient care and treatment planning.