SEER Inquiry System - Question 20031146 Details

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Produced: 09/10/2025 9:39 PM

Question 20031146

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Inquiry Details

References:

#1: SEER EOD-88, 3rd Ed, 3. I.8

#2: CAP Protocol, Breast, 20. Note J

Question:

EOD-Size of Primary Tumor--Breast: How do we code this field when there is a difference between the size of the tumor mentioned in the gross (i.e., macroscopic description) and the comment sections of a pathology report? See Description.

Discussion:

Path Macro Summary states size as 1.5 cm. The path comment states "largest area of tumor seen is 1.5 cm. However, 8 of the nearly contiguous sections are involved with an estimated 2.4 cm area of involvement."

Answer:

For cases diagnosed 1998-2003: Code the size of the largest area of tumor from the path macro summary. For the example provided, code the size as 015 [1.5 cm]. In this case, the additional sections of tumor described in the path comment do not seem to represent pieces of one larger tumor. The 2.4 cm estimated area of involvement was determined by adding together noncontiguous tumor sections. According to the CAP protocol for breast, Note J "When 2 or more distinct invasive tumors are present, each is separately measured...they are not combined into a single larger size."

Cancer Site Category:

Breast

Data Item Category:

N/A

Other Category:

N/A

Year:

2003