Primary site/Histology--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: How are these field coded when a biopsy of a substernal mass and the pericardium show T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma/leukemia, the CT scan showed mediastinal and hilar adenopathy and no bone marrow biopsy was done?
Code the histology to 9837/3 [T lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma].
To determine the primary site for leukemia/lymphoma histologies, first go to Module 4. Per Rule PH8, code the primary site to the site of origin when lymph nodes, tissue or organs are involved. To determine a more specific histology, go to Module 7, rules for coding primary site for lymphomas. Per Rule PH20, code the lymph node region when multiple lymph node chains within the same region are involved. Mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes are intrathoracic lymph nodes. The substernal mass is also intrathoracic and is presumed to be a lymph node mass which involved the pericardium. For this case, code the primary site to C771 [Intrathoracic lymph nodes].
SEER*Educate provides training on how to use the Heme Manual and DB. If you are unsure how to arrive at the answer in this SINQ question, refer to SEER*Educate to practice coding hematopoietic and lymphoid neoplasms. Review the step-by-step instructions provided for each case scenario to learn how to use the application and manual to arrive at the answer provided. https://educate.fhcrc.org/LandingPage.aspx.
Reportability--Brain and CNS: Is benign neural tissue compatible with a glioneuronal hamartoma of the cerebellopontine angle reportable?
No. A glioneuronal hamartoma is not neoplastic and not reportable. See page 2 of the 2004 SEER Program Coding and Staging manual for the list of reportable brain/CNS tumors. There is no ICD-O-3 code for hamartoma.
CS Extension--Brain and CNS: How is this field coded for a malignant tumor presenting as a confluent lesion over right parietal, posterior frontal and thalamic regions?
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.
Assign CS extension code 40 [Tumor crosses the midline; Tumor involves contralateral hemisphere; Tumor involves corpus callosum (including splenium)]
The thalamus is located between the corpus callosum and the cerebellum and brain stem. A supratentorial tumor extending to the thalamus involves the corpus callosum (extension code 40) but has not yet reached the cerebellum or brain stem. Code 40 applies, but code 50 or any higher code is not applicable in this case.
EOD-Extension--Lung: If a CT scan indicates that a patient has evidence of "long-standing pneumonia," is that synonymous with "pneumonitis" for the purposes of coding extension for lung primaries?
No. These terms are not synonymous. For cases diagnosed 1998-2003, disregard the pneumonia and use the other available information to code extension.
Priorities/CS Tumor Size--Breast: What is the priority order used in coding tumor size for this site when there is a larger 2 cm lesion noted on the PET scan and smaller sizes described in the pathology report as two malignant masses one measuring 0.8 cm and the second measuring 1.0 cm per the GROSS?
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.Code CS Tumor Size as 1.0 cm. The pathology report is the highest priority source for coding tumor size. When multiple tumors are present, code the size of the largest tumor.
EOD-Lymph Nodes--Head & Neck: When a physician provides only "Stage IV" (i.e., an abbreviated stage) for a right posterior tongue primary with lateral extension into the oropharynx and hypopharynx, can you assume "palpable" level 2, 3 and 5 lymph nodes are involved?
For cases diagnosed 1998-2003:
Code the EOD-Lymph Nodes field to 9 [Unknown], based on the information provided.
The physician's statement of an N category from a TNM may be used to determine lymph node involvement in the absence of other information. However, you cannot assume nodal involvement based on the incomplete staging information of "Stage IV" for a base of tongue primary. For this primary site, extension into the hypopharynx from this primary is equivalent to T4/Stage IV. Therefore you cannot assume the clinician's assessment of the case as Stage IV represents his assessment of lymph node involvement.
MP/H Rules/Histology--Thyroid: How is histology coded for a thyroid tumor described as "predominantly papillary carcinoma, tall cell variant, follicular type"?
For cases diagnosed 2007 or later, assign code 8340 [Papillary carcinoma, follicular variant] according to rule H15 for Other Sites.
"Predominantly" and "type" indicate specific histologies. "Variant" does not. See rule H13. The histology in this case is papillary and follicular. Tall cell variant is ignored.
Multiple primaries--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: Is a new bone marrow diagnosis of acute myelogenous leukemia that follows a 2007 treated diagnosis of a JAK-2 positive polycythemia vera a new primary?
Per Rule M10, abstract two primaries. Per the Heme DB, polycythemia vera [9950/3] transforms to an acute myelogenous leukemia [9861/3]. According to Rule M10, one is to abstract multiple primaries when a neoplasm is originally diagnosed as a chronic neoplasm (e.g., polycythemia vera) AND there is a second diagnosis of an acute neoplasm (e.g., acute myelogenous leukemia) more than 21 days after the chronic diagnosis.
SEER*Educate provides training on how to use the Heme Manual and DB. If you are unsure how to arrive at the answer in this SINQ question, refer to SEER*Educate to practice coding hematopoietic and lymphoid neoplasms. Review the step-by-step instructions provided for each case scenario to learn how to use the application and manual to arrive at the answer provided. https://educate.fhcrc.org/LandingPage.aspx.
Primary site--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: Should the primary site be coded to C421 [bone marrow] or C770-C779 [lymph nodes] for an adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma [9827/3] that presented with a positive bone marrow biopsy and involvement of lymph nodes and the lung?
Code the primary site to the involved lymph nodes [C770-C779]. Per Rule PH 8, it indicates you are to code the primary site to the site of origin when lymph node(s) or lymph node region(s), tissue(s) or organs are involved. Note 2 further states that the bone marrow may or may not be involved. If the bone marrow is involved, code this information in the CS Extension field.
Per the Abstractor Notes section in the Heme DB, this is a systemic disease with widespread lymph node involvement as well as involvement of the peripheral blood. In addition, systemic involvement of extranodal sites (including lung) are often involved.
SEER*Educate provides training on how to use the Heme Manual and DB. If you are unsure how to arrive at the answer in this SINQ question, refer to SEER*Educate to practice coding hematopoietic and lymphoid neoplasms. Review the step-by-step instructions provided for each case scenario to learn how to use the application and manual to arrive at the answer provided. https://educate.fhcrc.org/LandingPage.aspx.
Reportability--Lung: Is sclerosing hemangioma of the lung with multiple regional lymph nodes metastases reportable?
No, it is not reportable. According to the WHO Classification of Lung Tumours, sclerosing hemangioma "behaves in a clinically benign fashion...Reported cases with hilar or mediastinal lymph node involvement do not have a worse prognosis."