Summary & Overview
CPT 24079: Radical Resection of Soft-Tissue Tumor, Upper Arm or Elbow
CPT code 24079 represents a radical surgical resection of a soft-tissue tumor in the upper arm or elbow when the submitted specimen is 5 cm or larger. This code captures a high-complexity oncologic procedure typically performed by orthopedic oncology or surgical oncology teams in operating rooms or ambulatory surgical centers. Nationally, codes for major tumor resections are important for accurate clinical documentation, cancer care planning, and payment classification for inpatient and outpatient surgical services.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of the clinical context for the code, how it is used to reflect tumor size and surgical extent, and what to expect in service location and specialty involvement. The publication also outlines common billing considerations, comparable procedure codes, and areas where policy updates or payer-specific coverage rules are frequently applied.
This summary provides national-level context useful to clinicians, coding professionals, and policy analysts seeking clarity on procedure classification, clinical intent, and where to look for payer-specific guidance and benchmarks. Data not available in the input for payer-specific reimbursement rates, utilization benchmarks, and ICD-10 mappings.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 24079 describes a radical resection of a tumor in the soft tissue of the upper arm or elbow. The procedure involves removal of a soft-tissue tumor (such as a sarcoma or other malignant mass) with wide margins; the specimen submitted for laboratory analysis is 5 cm or larger in size.
Service type: Surgical oncology / soft-tissue tumor resection
Typical site of service: Hospital operating room or ambulatory surgical center (upper arm/elbow region)
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 58-year-old patient presents with a progressively enlarging, deep soft-tissue mass of the upper arm near the anterior compartment. Imaging with MRI demonstrates a 6.2 cm heterogenous lesion suspicious for a malignant soft-tissue tumor (sarcoma). Core needle biopsy yields suspicious atypical spindle cells but is nondefinitive; multidisciplinary tumor board recommends radical surgical resection with wide margins. The surgeon schedules an operative procedure under general anesthesia to perform en bloc excision (radical resection) of the tumor including involved soft tissue and surrounding margin, with specimen orientation and submission to pathology for tumor size measurement (≥5 cm), margin assessment, and ancillary testing (immunohistochemistry, molecular studies as indicated). Typical perioperative workflow includes preoperative evaluation, informed consent, anesthesia clearance, intraoperative specimen processing and labeling, and postoperative recovery with pathology report guiding adjuvant therapy decisions. Typical site of service is an inpatient hospital operating room or an ambulatory surgical center equipped for major oncologic resections, with postoperative follow-up in surgical oncology and medical oncology clinics.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | Procedure or service furnished in its entirety — no modifier (placeholder) | Rarely used; present in list but not typically appended clinically; use per payer instructions when required to indicate standard service. |