Summary & Overview
CPT 0387U: AMBLor® Melanoma Prognostic Immunohistochemistry Test
Headline: New CPT code 0387U designates the AMBLor® melanoma prognostic assay, a proprietary immunohistochemistry test that reports a risk score for melanoma progression.
CPT code 0387U identifies a proprietary laboratory analysis that uses immunohistochemistry on FFPE melanoma tissue to measure two biomarkers and produce an algorithm-derived risk score for progression and metastasis. The code matters nationally as an emerging precision pathology tool that may affect clinical decision-making for melanoma surveillance and adjuvant therapy planning.
Key payers addressed in this overview include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise briefing on the clinical purpose of the assay, its service setting, and the expected coding context. The publication summarizes payer coverage posture where available, benchmarks for utilization and reimbursement ranges when reported by payers, and relevant policy considerations for molecular and proprietary laboratory tests.
The report is organized to help clinicians, laboratory managers, and policy analysts understand: (1) what CPT code 0387U represents clinically; (2) how the test fits into pathology and oncology workflows; and (3) where payers commonly place this type of PLA test in coverage and coding frameworks. Data not available in the input will be identified in dedicated sections.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 0387U is a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) code that describes the AMBLor® melanoma prognostic test from Avero® Diagnostics. The test uses immunohistochemistry staining on a formalin–fixed paraffin–embedded (FFPE) melanoma tissue specimen to identify two biomarkers. An algorithmic analysis of the biomarker levels generates a reported risk score for melanoma progression and metastasis.
Service type: Laboratory pathology – proprietary prognostic immunohistochemistry assay
Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory or pathology laboratory associated with surgical pathology services, using FFPE melanoma tissue from outpatient or inpatient surgical specimens.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 58-year-old patient presents after excisional biopsy of a suspicious cutaneous pigmented lesion on the forearm that was histologically confirmed as primary cutaneous melanoma. The dermatopathologist performs routine histology and immunohistochemistry and forwards a formalin–fixed paraffin–embedded (FFPE) block and representative slides to the molecular pathology/PL lab for prognostic testing. The ordering clinician (dermatologist, surgical oncologist, or medical oncologist) requests the AMBLor® melanoma prognostic test to stratify the patient’s risk of recurrence and distant metastasis based on two immunohistochemical biomarkers quantified from the FFPE specimen. The laboratory receives the specimen, verifies patient and specimen identifiers, performs immunohistochemical staining, quantifies biomarker expression, runs the vendor-specific algorithm, and reports a risk score and interpretive comment to the ordering provider. Typical site of service is an outpatient dermatology clinic or hospital outpatient facility for the biopsy, with the PLA testing performed in a commercial reference laboratory. Turnaround time is commonly several days to two weeks depending on lab workflow. Clinical use of the result informs surveillance intensity and multidisciplinary discussion of adjuvant therapy eligibility and follow-up imaging strategies.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | Default for billing when no modifier applies | Rarely used; default placeholder when payer-specific modifier required but no other modifier fits |