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SEER Inquiry System - Report
Produced: 01/17/2026 9:49 AM
Question 20220009
Inquiry Details
References:
2018 SEER Manual, 184-186. Reason for No Surgery of Primary Site
Question:
First Course Therapy/Reason for No Surgery of Primary Site: What code should be used for Reason for No Surgery of Primary Site in 2020 in situations affected by the pandemic when abstracting all sites? See Discussion.
Discussion:
Example: Patient scheduled for left nephrectomy on 3/10/20 due to left renal papillary renal cell carcinoma diagnosed on 2/11/20 via needle core biopsy. Abstract indicated surgery was cancelled due to the pandemic. Abstract also indicated the surgery was not rescheduled.
Answer:
There is no available code that fits this situation. We recommend assigning code 6 (Surgery of the primary site was not performed; it was recommended by the patient’s physician, but was not performed as part of the first course of therapy. No reason was noted in patient record.) and documenting the situation in a text field.
