| Report | Question ID | Question | Discussion | Answer | Year |
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20200006 | Reportability--Retina: Is a diagnosis of retinal astrocytoma reportable? See Discussion. |
There is no specific ICD-O-3 code for a which resulted in abstractors assigning the malignant astrocytoma, NOS code. These lesions were previously called but we are seeing the new terminology more frequently. |
Report retinal astrocytoma. The WHO Classification of Tumors of the Eye, 4th edition, lists astrocytoma, NOS as 9400/3 with astrocytic hamartoma of the retina as a synonym. You may receive a site/type edit (IF25) which can be overridden. The changes in terminology, codes, etc. proposed in WHO 4th Ed Eye book were implemented for cases diagnosed 1/1/2018 forward. Apply this to retina astrocytomas and do not accession cases diagnosed with this histology prior to 1/1/2018. |
2020 |
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20200031 | Histology/Behavior--Breast: How are histology and behavior coded for a case originally diagnosed as in situ and later an invasive tumor with a different histology is diagnosed but still a single primary using Breast Solid Tumor Rule M10? See Discussion. |
SINQ 20200022 indicates that cases originally diagnosed as in situ do not have a new primary when a new invasive tumor with a different histology is diagnosed within 5 years. Should histology and/or behavior get updated for the in situ breast primary? |
Update the histology and behavior based on the invasive tumor when an invasive tumor is diagnosed within 5 years of an in situ tumor in the same breast. This will be updated in the 2021 revisions of the Breast Solid Tumor Rules. |
2020 |
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20200019 | Diagnostic confirmation--Heme and Lymphoid Neoplasms--Lymphoma: Is Diagnostic Confirmation "5" for Hematopoietic Neoplasms appropriate for this case? There appears to be no conclusive histologic diagnosis (Neoplasm, suggestive of lymphoma) and only the IHC/flow cytometry issued a conclusive diagnosis. See Discussion. |
10/4/2018 Frozen Section Diagnosis: Brain tissue with atypical cells and inflammatory cells, defer to permanents for further evaluation. Note: Tissue for flow cytometry is submitted. Final Diagnosis: Preliminary Diagnosis: Brain Tumor, Biopsy: Neoplasm, suggestive of lymphoma (see comment). Comment: The tumor exhibits nuclear atypia and increased mitosis. The tumor cells are immunologically positive for LCA and with very high ki67 labeling index. GFAP and synaptophysin are not expressed by tumor cells. The above suggests a lympho-proliferative process. This case is forwarded to the hematopathology service of this department for further evaluation. The final diagnosis report will be issued by the hematopathologist as an addendum. Supp Rpt Add Addendum Diagnosis: The brain biopsy showed brain tissue large lymphoid cell infiltrate. Additional immunohistochemical stains are performed. The large cells are positive for CD20, BCL2, BCL6 (subset), MUM1, and CD30, negative for CD3, CD5, and CD10. Staining for c-MYC is negative. Ki-67 positive large cells are approximately 18%. EBER is strongly positive by ISH. Diagnosis: Brain lesion, biopsy: EBV+ Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma. Addendum Comment: The concurrent flow cytometric study showed monoclonal lambda-positive B-cells without out CD5 and CD10 expression, consistent with B-cell lymphoma. |
Assign Diagnostic Confirmation as code 3, positive histology plus positive immunophenotyping. The biopsy diagnosis demonstrated EBV+ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, with positive staining as indicated in the Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Neoplasm Database.The information received from the additional studies confirm the more specific diagnosis. |
2020 |
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20200050 | Surgery of Primary Site/Multiple primaries--Breast: Should the Surgery of Primary Site for the 2020 diagnosis be coded 51 (Modified radical mastectomy without removal of uninvolved contralateral breast) when a partial mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection are performed for a 2011 right breast primary and a subsequent 2020 right breast primary is treated with a total mastectomy only? See Discussion. |
The patient underwent a partial mastectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy, followed by an axillary lymph node dissection for the first right breast primary in 2011. The separate 2020 right breast primary was treated with a total mastectomy and removal of one involved axillary lymph node. The operative report only refers to this as a non-sentinel lymph node, with no mention of other axillary findings. Cumulatively, this patient has undergone a modified radical mastectomy since there were likely no remaining axillary lymph nodes. If the Surgery of Primary Site data item is cumulative, does the order of surgeries matter? It is unclear whether this question should be directed to SINQ (for coding in a SEER registry) or to CAnswer Forum because both have addressed similar surgery related questions in the past and and there is no guidance regarding this specific situation. |
Yes, assign surgery of primary site code 51 for the 2020 diagnosis in this case. Code the cumulative effect of all surgeries to the primary site. This means that for the 2020 primary, code the cumulative effect of the surgery done in 2011 plus the surgery performed in 2020. Use text fields on both abstracts to record the details. |
2020 |
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20200070 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018)/Multiple Primaries--Breast: The December 2020 revision to 2018 Breast Solid Tumor Rules, Rule M10, using behavior rather than timing to determine the number of primaries, has caused synchronous separate/non-contiguous tumors reported as invasive carcinoma, NST (8500/3) and lobular carcinoma in situ (8520/2) (or vice versa) to be reported as separate primaries per Rule M14. Should an invasive carcinoma NST and a synchronous, separate lobular carcinoma in situ be separate primaries per M14? See Discussion. |
Recognizing the addition of the behavior requirement into this rule is an attempt to stop non-synchronous ductal carcinoma and lobular carcinomas from being accessioned as a single primary (SINQ 20200022), the issue with using behavior rather than timing is that now, synchronous separate/non-contiguous tumors that are invasive carcinoma NST (8500/3) and lobular carcinoma in situ (8520/2) (or vice versa) are separate primaries per M14. Lobular and carcinoma, NST are separate rows in Table 3, so we cannot stop at M10 and code the mixed histology because there are two separate histologies with different behaviors. There is no rule that states we can just ignore the in situ tumors for the purpose of applying the M Rules. (We are instructed to ignore the in situ when coding histology only in certain circumstances.) The problem with Rule M10 appears to be related to timing. This question was prompted from preparing SEER*Educate coding exercises. We will use the answer as a reference in the rationales. |
The original issue with M10 was with registrars being instructed that multiple in situ and invasive tumors were a single primary and then coding 8522/3 when one tumor was in situ and one was invasive. This incorrectly identified both components as being malignant (/3). Our effort to correct this misconception apparently did not work. M10 has been revised to state that yes, an in situ lobular or duct plus an invasive lobular or duct is a single primary with a new note that states: When a mixture of behaviors is present in carcinoma, NST, and lobular carcinoma, follow the H rules to determine the correct histology code. They will stop at H8 which instructs them to code the invasive histology. 8522/3 should only be used when both components are invasive. |
2020 |
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20200045 | Diagnostic confirmation--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: Is Diagnostic Confirmation coded to 5 or 8 based on a patient diagnosed as multiple myeloma by a physician based on a bone marrow biopsy stating plasma cell neoplasm? See Discussion. |
Bone marrow, right iliac crest (aspirate smear, touch preparation, clot section and core biopsy): Hypercellular marrow (40-50%) with plasma cell neoplasm (see Comment): " No evidence of metastatic carcinoma. " Adequate iron storage. Comment: CBC data shows normocytic anemia. Flow cytometric analysis of bone marrow detects a kappa restricted plasma cell population that expresses CD138 and CD38. CD56 is positive. CD19 and CD20 are negative. T lymphocytes are immunophenotypically unremarkable. Polyclonal B lymphocytes are detected. Blast gate is not significantly increased. Immunohistochemical stains are performed on the biopsy core and clot section for greater sensitivity and further architectural assessment with adequate controls. CD138 positive plasma cells comprise > 70% of the total cellularity. AE1/AE3 is negative. Taken together, the morphologic and immunophenotypic findings are consistent with a diagnosis of plasma cell neoplasm. Trilineage hematopoietic activity as are seen. |
This would be a Diagnostic Confirmation of 8 based on the physician's diagnosis. The Pathology report mentions plasma cell neoplasm only. By itself, plasma cell neoplasm is not reportable because it includes a variety of diseases, some that are not reportable, and some that are (See Hematopoietic Database under Plasma Cell Neoplasm.) The physician probably has other information, including imaging, which may show lytic lesions. He/she is probably using clinical findings, plus findings from the bone marrow, and diagnosing this patient with multiple myeloma. |
2020 |
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20200042 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018)/Histology--Brain and CNS: How is the histology coded when the diagnosis comment for a posterior fossa tumor resection states: Taken together, these findings are indicative of medulloblastoma with extensive nodularity? See Discussion. |
Example: Posterior fossa tumor resection final diagnosis was medulloblastoma, WHO Grade IV. The diagnosis comment notes the current tumor resection reveals large irregular reticulin-free nodules with streams of neoplastic cells in a fibrillary background in association with narrow reticulin-rich internodular strands of poorly differentiated neoplastic cells. Taken together, these findings are indicative of medulloblastoma with extensive nodularity. The diagnosis comment provided only one histology. Per the 2018 Solid Tumor Manual, Malignant CNS, Priority Order for Using Documentation to Identify Histology instructions, an addendum or comment has priority over the final diagnosis. Although indicative is not listed on any ambiguous terminology list, is this an ambiguous diagnosis that must be ignored? Or does the diagnosis comment in this case provide a single, specific diagnosis of medulloblastoma with extensive nodularity? |
Code as medulloblastoma, nodular (9471/3) based on the findings from both the comment and final diagnosis. |
2020 |
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20200033 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018)/Multiple primaries--Breast: How many primary tumors should be abstracted for a 2018 breast excision with a final diagnosis of invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (0.7 cm) with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) present as discontinuous foci, spanning 12 cm? See Discussion. |
If the term discontinuous foci means separate tumors, then rule M14 would apply making these multiple reportable tumors. |
Abstract two primaries, invasive mucinous and DCIS, using 2018 Solid Tumor Rules for Breast, M14, as the discontinuous foci are separate tumors in this example and the histologies are on different rows of Table 3 of the rules. |
2020 |
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20200055 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018)/Multiple primaries--Melanoma: Should a case with treatment delayed due to COVID-19 be abstracted as one or two primaries? It is uncertain if the invasive tumor would be a new tumor, or deeper extension/disease progression from the original tumor. See Discussion. |
11/18/2019 Left 1st Digit/Thumb Biopsy: Atypical Melanocytic Proliferation consistent with Early Acral Lentiginous Melanoma in situ. Margins Positive. (Not a reportable diagnosis for 2019.) 12/5/2019 Left 1st Digit Shave Biopsies: Malignant Melanoma in situ. Margins Positive. 1/15/2020 Started Aldara (treatment plan: use for ~3 months then Mohs/excision, but due to COVID could not get resection until 7/2020). 7/29/2020 Left Thumb Excision: Residual Melanoma in situ. Margins Positive. Treatment Plan: re-excision. 8/6/2020 Left Thumb Re-Excision: Atypical Lentiginous Melanocytic Proliferation at the 12-2 margin may represent the advancing edge of melanoma in situ. (8/19/2020 Plan to treat the 12-2 margin as positive with in situ; plan for re-excision). 8/20/2020 Left Thumb Re-Excision & Left Nail Plate Excision: Malignant Acral Lentiginous Melanoma with extensive melanoma in situ. Breslow 1.3mm. Margins Positive. Nail plate & bed epithelium with hemorrhage and a mild increase in melanocyte density likely represent melanoma in situ. 9/4/2020 Left thumb partial amputation & Left axillary Sentinel Lymph Node Excision: Residual Malignant Melanoma in situ. 0/3 sentinel nodes positive. |
Abstract a single primary using the Solid Tumor Rules for melanoma. Report this melanoma as invasive (/3) as documented in the information from 8/20/2020. The treatment delay does not influence the number of primaries to be reported. Registries in SEER regions: Report the COVID-related information as directed in the COVID-19 Abstraction Guidelines, https://seer.cancer.gov/tools/covid-19/. |
2020 |
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20200004 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018)/Multiple primaries--Lung: How are Primary Site and EOD Primary Tumor coded when a patient is diagnosed with four invasive tumors in the right lung that represent three separate primaries, but the not otherwise specified (NOS) tumor and one of the specific subtype/variants are in separate lobes? See Discussion. |
There are four invasive tumors in the right lung: Large cell undifferentiated carcinoma in the right lower lobe (8012/3, C343); Adenocarcinoma, acinar-predominant in the right lower lobe (8551/3, C343) that was 0.7 cm in size and limited to the lung; Mucinous adenocarcinoma in the right upper lobe (8253/3, C341) that was 0.9 cm and limited to the lung; Adenocarcinoma, NOS also in the right upper lobe (8140/3, C341) that was 1 cm and limited to the lung. The Lung M Rules confirm the large cell undifferentiated carcinoma is a separate primary from the three adenocarcinoma tumors (Rule M8). The acinar adenocarcinoma and mucinous adenocarcinoma tumors are separate primaries (Rule M6). The adenocarcinoma, NOS tumor is the same primary as both the acinar and mucinous are adenocarcinomas (Rule M7). How is Primary Site coded for both the acinar and mucinous adenocarcinomas if they represent multiple tumors reported as a single primary (when compared to the adenocarcinoma, NOS tumor)? Should the adenocarcinoma, NOS tumor also be included when coding EOD Primary Tumor for both the right lower lobe acinar adenocarcinoma and right upper lobe mucinous adenocarcinoma primaries? Further follow-up with the physician is not possible. |
Abstract three primaries using 2018 Lung Solid Tumor Rules, Rule M6 and M8 as these are multiple synchronous tumors. M6 (Subtypes in Column 3 of Table 3): Adenocarcinoma, acinar predominant: Primary Site: C343 (RLL) EOD Primary Tumor: 300 Mucinous adenocarcinoma Primary Site: C341 (RUL) EOD Primary Tumor: 300 M8 (Separate rows in Table 3): Large cell undifferentiated carcinoma: Primary Site: C343 (RLL) EOD Primary Tumor: 300 Note: The adenocarcinoma, NOS, along with the other subtypes, is on a different row than the large cell undifferentiated carcinoma and is already accounted for in Rule 6 as multiple synchronous tumors. Do not include the adenocarcinoma, NOS in EOD Primary Tumor for the reportable primaries. |
2020 |
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