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SEER Inquiry System - Report
Produced: 10/18/2025 11:09 PM
Question 20071054
Inquiry Details
References:
2007 SEER Manual, 61-64
Question:
Date of Diagnosis: Can the phrase "suspicious for a primary lung tumor" from a CT be used to code date of diagnosis? See Discussion.
Discussion:
Thorax CT on 4/18/05 states 'enlarged RUL nodular opacity suspicious for a primary lung tumor.' Biopsy confirmation was not done until 8/4/05 because patient declined further work-up until then. Would date of diagnoses be 4/18/05 or 8/4/05?
Answer:
Code the diagnosis date 08/04/2005 based on the biopsy.
The statement "suspicious for a primary tumor" is not a clinical diagnosis of cancer or malignancy.
Cancer Site Category:
N/A
Data Item Category:
Date of diagnosis
Other Category:
N/A
Year:
2007
