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SEER Inquiry System - Report
Produced: 03/19/2026 10:22 PM
Question 20260008
Inquiry Details
References:
Heme & Lymph Manual & DB. 2026; published October 2025
Question:
Reportability/Ambiguous Terminology--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: Should "consistent with" be included in the ambiguous terminology for reportability list in the updated Heme Manual? See Discussion.
Discussion:
In the Heme Manual, published October 2025, the ambiguous terminology used to determine reportability for heme and lymphoid neoplasms (Case Reportability Instructions) was updated and "consistent with" was removed. However, this is an ambiguous term that is used to describe reportability (and not just histology). The term "consistent with" was previously included as a reportable ambiguous term used to report cases prior to this update.
The updated Heme Manual is clear regarding "consistent with" now being a definitive diagnosis for the purpose of coding histology. However, the Note under instruction 4 states, "Do not apply these changes to casefinding, reportability, or staging." Is "consistent with" an exception to this Note? Or should it be re-added to the ambiguous terms related to reportability?
Answer:
The 2027 version of the Hematopoietic Manual (release October 2026) will include the following in the Case Reportability Instructions, pg. 40:
4. “Consistent with” for reportability and casefinding is now a definitive diagnosis and is no longer ambiguous terminology. This is for hematopoietic neoplasms ONLY.
a. “Consistent with” has become a very common way for pathologists to document diagnoses for Hematopoietic neoplasms. In order to ensure that hematopoietic cases are being reported, “consistent with” has now become definitive terminology for casefinding and reportability (see Histology Coding Instructions for assigning histology).
b. Do not apply this instruction to casefinding and reportability for Solid Tumors.
5. Report the case when the diagnosis of a hematopoietic neoplasm is preceded by one or more of the ambiguous terms listed below:
a. This instruction pertains to reportability and case finding only. See the Histology Coding Instructions, #3-5 for instructions on assigning histology with ambiguous terminology (note that “consistent with” has been removed. See Note #4) .
- Apparently
- Appears
- Comparable with
- Compatible with
- Favor(s)
- Malignant appearing
