Ambiguous Terminology: Is the expression "has the markings of a malignancy" a clinically reportable term? See Discussion.
12/02 Baseline mammogram: spiculated mass with associated marked retraction located in UOQ lt breast. This has the markings of malignancy. Several microcalcifications in outer aspect of rt breast. BI-RADS 5 higly suggestive of malignancy.
Do not accession cases using only the term "has the markings of malignancy." This term is not on the list of ambiguous terms that are reportable. If the term does not appear on either the reportable or not reportable list, the term is not diagnostic of cancer. Do not accession the case.
Please see SINQ 20010094 in reference to BI-RADS terminology.
Multiple Primaries (Pre-2007)--Kidney/Bladder/Renal Pelvis: Would transitional cell carcinoma of the left renal pelvis, diagnosed two years after a diagnosis of invasive bladder cancer, be a second primary when the discharge is "recurrent transitional cell carcinoma, left kidney"?
For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007:
This is an example of the term "recurrent" being used loosely to refer to another primary in the urinary tract. It is highly unlikely that a bladder tumor would metastasize to the kidney. Much more likely is the field defect or regional breakdown of the urothelial tissue that lines the tract from the renal pelvis to the urethra. Furthermore, bladder tumors don't spread retrograde to the kidney. Code as two primaries.
For tumors diagnosed 2007 or later, refer to the MP/H rules. If there are still questions about how this type of tumor should be coded, submit a new question to SINQ and include the difficulties you are encountering in applying the MP/H rules.
EOD-Extension--Sarcoma: How is this field coded for a soft tissue sarcoma that involves the overlying skin?
For cases diagnosed 1998-2003: It depends on the location of the soft tissue sarcoma. If the tumor is very superficial, code EOD-Extension to 60 [Adjacent organs/structures]. However, if the soft tissue sarcoma is between muscles or "deep" according to the AJCC definition, then it would have to grow through the superficial fascia to get to the skin. In this case code EOD-Extension to 80 [Further contiguous extension].
Primary Site--Head & Neck: How is this field coded for a tongue primary described as "located on the lateral" or "left oral" tongue? See Discussion.
Case 1. Patient with squamous cell carcinoma, left oral tongue.
Case 2. Squamous cell carcinoma, left lateral tongue.
Case 3. Patient status post biopsy of lesion on tongue. Exam: healing left lateral tongue incision with sutures in place in underside of tongue.
Code Primary Site for cases 1 and 2 above to C023 [Anterior 2/3 of tongue, NOS]. Code lateral tongue without mention of dorsal or ventral surface to C023 [Anterior 2/3 of tongue, NOS].
Code Primary Site for case 3 to C022 [Ventral surface of tongue]. The underside of the tongue is specified as the site of the biopsy in case 3.
Histology (Pre-2007)--Lung: Does 8070 [squamous cell carcinoma], 8560 [adenosquamous carcinoma] or 8255 [adenocarcinoma with mixed subtypes] best represent this field for a lung biopsy described as a "poorly differentiated non-small cell carcinoma with squamous and glandular features with focal mucin positivity per mucin stain"?
For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007:
Assign code 8560/33 [Adenosquamous carcinoma, poorly differentiated]. "Glandular" carcinoma is a synonym for adenocarcinoma. Mixed adenocarcinoma and squamous carcinoma is coded to 8560. Do not use code 8255 [Adenocarcinoma with mixed subtypes] when a more specific complex code is available.
For tumors diagnosed 2007 or later, refer to the MP/H rules. If there are still questions about how this type of tumor should be coded, submit a new question to SINQ and include the difficulties you are encountering in applying the MP/H rules.
Behavior Code/CS Extension--Brain and CNS: How are these fields coded when the final diagnosis on pathology indicates that an atypical meningioma invades the brain and the bone flap specimen indicates extensive invasion through the full thickness of the calvarium? See Discussion.
FDx on the path is: A. Rt frontotemporal brain tumor: Atypical meningioma, WHO grade II (out of III). B. Arachnoid tissue: Atypical meningioma with small focus of invasion into superficial brain and focal perivascular spread. C. Bone flap: Atypical meningioma with extensive invasion through full thickness of the calvarium.
Comment: Although this tumor shows a small focus of brain invasion, it should be considered a grade II (out of III) meningioma based on its histologic atypia (cellularity, sheeting of tumor cells and prominent nucleoli), elevated Ki-67 index and low mitotic rate.
This answer was provided in the context of CSv1 coding guidelines. The response may not be used after your registry database has been converted to CSv2.For tumors diagnosed prior to 2004, the example above is a benign meningioma and not reportable to SEER.
For tumors diagnosed 2004 or later, code the behavior as 1 [Borderline malignancy]. Code CS Extension as 05 [Benign or borderline brain tumors].
According to expert consultant, meningiomas are in the lining cells for the inner table of the skull and as such have an affinity for bone that allows them to penetrate adjacent bone without being "malignant.
Histology (Pre-2007)--Pancreas: Should pancreatic neoplasia III (PanIN III) be coded to 8010/2 [carcinoma in situ, NOS] or 8500/2 [Ductal carcinoma in situ]? See Description.
There is no specific morphology code for PanIN-III in the ICD-O-3. In the chapter for exocrine pancreas found in the sixth edition of AJCC cancer staging manual, pg 160, reference is made to PanIN-III and its inclusion with carcinoma in situ.
For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007:
Code PanIN-III (pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia III) as 8500/2 [Ductal carcinoma in situ, includes DIN 3: Ductal intraepithelial neoplasia 3]. PanIN-III is a synonym for carcinoma in situ according to the WHO classification of Tumors and the College of American Pathologists' Protocol for exocrine pancreas. Do not code PanIN-I or PanIN-II as cancer.
For tumors diagnosed 2007 or later, see SINQ 20110081 and refer to the MP/H rules. If there are still questions about how this type of tumor should be coded, submit a new question to SINQ and include the difficulties you are encountering in applying the MP/H rules.
Histology (Pre-2007)--Corpus Uteri: How should this field be coded when the D&C which shows "adenocarcinoma with mucinous and papillary features" and the TAH demonstrates only "endometroid carcinoma"? See Discussion.
Should Histology be coded to 8380 [endometroid adenocarcinoma] because it is the most representative sample or to 8323 [mixed cell adenocarcinoma], per the Complex Morphology Coding Guidelines? The instructions in the Guidelines seem to imply that it is most important to represent combination histologies first, with majority (most representative sample) of tumor having a lower priority.
For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007:
Code Histology based on the pathology report from the most representative tissue. For the example above, code Histology to 8380 [Endometroid adenocarcinoma] based on the TAH/BSO pathology report.
For tumors diagnosed 2007 or later, refer to the MP/H rules. If there are still questions about how this type of tumor should be coded, submit a new question to SINQ and include the difficulties you are encountering in applying the MP/H rules.
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