Non-specific code 2015 ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Code 208.9
Unspecified leukemia
  • 2015
  • Non-Billable Code

  • There are 3 ICD-9-CM codes below 208.9 that define this diagnosis in greater detail. Do not use this code on a reimbursement claim.
Clinical Information
  • (loo-kee-mee-a) cancer of blood-forming tissue
  • A malignant (clonal) hematologic disorder, involving hematopoietic stem cells and characterized by the presence of primitive or atypical myeloid or lymphoid cells in the bone marrow and the blood. Leukemias are classified as acute or chronic based on the degree of cellular differentiation and the predominant cell type present. Leukemia is usually associated with anemia, fever, hemorrhagic episodes, and splenomegaly. Common leukemias include acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, acute lymphoblastic or precursor lymphoblastic leukemia, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Treatment is vital to patient survival; untreated, the natural course of acute leukemias is normally measured in weeks or months, while that of chronic leukemias is more often measured in months or years
  • A progressive, malignant disease of the blood-forming organs, characterized by distorted proliferation and development of leukocytes and their precursors in the blood and bone marrow. Leukemias were originally termed acute or chronic based on life expectancy but now are classified according to cellular maturity. Acute leukemias consist of predominately immature cells; chronic leukemias are composed of more mature cells. (from the merck manual, 2006)
  • A progressive, proliferative disease of blood cells, originating from myeloid or lymphoid stem cells
  • Cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes large numbers of blood cells to be produced and enter the bloodstream
  • Leukemia is cancer of the white blood cells. White blood cells help your body fight infection. Your blood cells form in your bone marrow. In leukemia, however, the bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells. These cells crowd out the healthy blood cells, making it hard for blood to do its work.there are different types of leukemia, including
    • acute lymphocytic leukemia
    • acute myeloid leukemia
    • chronic lymphocytic leukemia
    • chronic myeloid leukemia
    leukemia can develop quickly or slowly. Chronic leukemia grows slowly. In acute leukemia, the cells are very abnormal and their number increases rapidly. Adults can get either type; childen with leukemia most often have an acute type.some leukemias can often be cured. Other types are hard to cure, but you can often control them. Treatments may include chemotherapy, radiation and stem cell transplantation. Even if symptoms disappear, you might need therapy to prevent a relapse. nih: national cancer institute
  • Progressive, malignant disease of the blood-forming organs, characterized by distorted proliferation and development of leukocytes and their precursors in the blood and bone marrow; classified according to degree of cell differentiation as acute or chronic, and according to predominant type of cell involved as myelogenous or lymphocytic
Applies To
  • Leukemia NOS
ICD-9-CM Volume 2 Index entries containing back-references to 208.9:
  • Bennett's
    • disease (leukemia) 208.9
  • Disease, diseased - see also Syndrome
    • Bennett's (leukemia) 208.9
  • Leukemia, leukemic (congenital) (M9800/3) 208.9
    • acute NEC (M9801/3) 208.0
    • aleukemic NEC (M9804/3) 208.8
      • granulocytic (M9864/3) 205.8
    • basophilic (M9870/3) 205.1
    • blast (cell) (M9801/3) 208.0
    • blastic (M9801/3) 208.0
      • granulocytic (M9861/3) 205.0
    • chronic NEC (M9803/3) 208.1
    • eosinophilic (M9880/3) 205.1
    • giant cell (M9910/3) 207.2
    • hairy cell (M9940/3) 202.4
    • hemoblastic (M9801/3) 208.0
    • histiocytic (M9890/3) 206.9
    • lymphoblastic (M9821/3) 204.0
    • lymphogenous (M9820/3) - see Leukemia, lymphoid
    • lymphosarcoma cell (M9850/3) 207.8
    • mast cell (M9900/3) 207.8
    • megakaryocytic (M9910/3) 207.2
    • megakaryocytoid (M9910/3) 207.2
    • mixed (cell) (M9810/3) 207.8
    • monoblastic (M9891/3) 206.0
    • monocytic (Schilling-type) (M9890/3) 206.9
    • monomyelocytic (M9860/3) - see Leukemia, myelomonocytic
    • myeloblastic (M9861/3) 205.0
    • Naegeli-type monocytic (M9863/3) 205.1
    • neutrophilic (M9865/3) 205.1
    • plasma cell (M9830/3) 203.1
    • plasmacytic (M9830/3) 203.1
    • prolymphocytic (M9825/3) - see Leukemia, lymphoid
    • promyelocytic, acute (M9866/3) 205.0
    • Schilling-type monocytic (M9890/3) - see Leukemia, monocytic
    • stem cell (M9801/3) 208.0
    • subacute NEC (M9802/3) 208.2
    • subleukemic NEC (M9804/3) 208.8
    • thrombocytic (M9910/3) 207.2
    • undifferentiated (M9801/3) 208.0
ICD-9-CM codes are used in medical billing and coding to describe diseases, injuries, symptoms and conditions. ICD-9-CM 208.9 is one of thousands of ICD-9-CM codes used in healthcare. Although ICD-9-CM and CPT codes are largely numeric, they differ in that CPT codes describe medical procedures and services. Can't find a code? Start at the root of ICD-9-CM, check the 2015 ICD-9-CM Index or use the search engine at the top of this page to lookup any code.