| Report | Question ID | Question | Discussion | Answer | Year |
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20180043 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018)/Histology--Breast: Can the College of American Pathologists (CAP) protocol be used to determine whether in situ tumor is present for the purpose of determining which H Rule applies in the example presented? See Discussion. |
The Histology Coding Instructions give priority to the Final Diagnosis over the CAP protocol. However, when pathology reports are formatted using the CAP protocol, the presence of in situ carcinoma is generally only mentioned in the CAP protocol. Can the presence of in situ tumor mentioned only in the CAP protocol be used to apply rule H7 (Single Tumor: Invasive and In Situ Components Module)? Or are the rules in the Single Tumor: Invasive Only module used? Example: Final diagnosis is invasive ductal carcinoma. CAP protocol mentions, |
Apply Rule H12 of the 2018 Solid Tumor Rules for Breast Cancer, released April 2019. Remember the protocol is a checklist only and should not be used to code histology unless it is the only document available. |
2018 |
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20180074 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018)/Multiple primaries--Brain and CNS: Rule M6 notes a diagnosis of glioblastoma multiforme is a new primary when it follows a diagnosis of a glial or astrocytic tumor. Does this rule apply if the subsequent diagnosis was just, glioblastoma, NOS or one of the subtypes/variants of glioblastoma multiforme? See Discussion. |
Glioblastoma multiforme is listed as a synonym for the preferred term glioblastoma, NOS (9440) per Table 3 Column 2. Therefore, it seems reasonable to assume that a diagnosis of glioblastoma, NOS would be a new primary if it followed a glial or astrocytic tumor. However, in general, the Solid Tumor Rules use the preferred terminology and/or indicate when a specific rule also includes any tumor diagnosed as a subtype/variant. Rule M6 does not explicitly include a diagnosis of glioblastoma, NOS or any of its subtypes/variants (e.g., glioblastoma IDH-mutant or gliosarcoma). Does Rule M6 apply to any diagnosis of glioblastoma, NOS and any of its synonyms or subtypes/variants? |
Apply Malignant Central Nervous System Solid Tumor Rule M6 that refers to glioblastoma multiforme and abstract multiple primaries. If glioblastoma, NOS, an associated synonym with the same histology (9440/3), follows a glial or astrocytic tumor, Rule M6 applies. With the identification of new variants of glioblastoma based on genetic profiles, we will likely see fewer diagnosis of GBM. M6 applies to cases where the subsequent/new tumor is specifically stated to be GBM, NOS. |
2018 |
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20150036 | Reportability/MP/H--Kidney: "Multilocular clear cell renal cell carcinoma." Would this be coded 8310? See discussion. |
Multilocular clear cell renal cell carcinoma is a specifc histologic type listed in the CAP cancer protocol for kidney, but not in the ICD-O-3 and it is not on the list of specific types of renal cell carcinomas in Table 1 of the kidney equivalent terms and definitions in the MP/H manual. There is a malignant multilocular cystic nephroma 8959 in Table 1, but I can't tell if this the same histology as what is stated in this path report. |
Apply Kidney rule H5 and code the clear cell (8310/3) which is the specific type of renal cell. Multilocular is a variant of clear cell which is a variant of renal cell carcinoma. As of yet, no new ICD-O morphology code as been proposed for this specific histology. It will be addressed in the revised rules. |
2015 |
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20190042 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018)/Multiple Primaries--Breast: Is a breast resection showing invasive mucinous carcinoma in a single tumor with associated ductal carcinoma in situ and additional findings of a background of lobular carcinoma in situ single or multiple primaries and which M rule applies? See Discussion |
Example: Right breast core biopsy found ductal carcinoma in situ in the upper outer quadrant. Subsequent resection has a final diagnosis of invasive mucinous carcinoma, grade 1, measuring approximately 7 mm, with close margins. See staging summary. Gross description mentions only the primary tumor with associated marker clip from previous biopsy. Breast Cancer Staging Summary lists (testing and margins removed for brevity): Procedure type: Lumpectomy. Specimen laterality: Right. Tumor size: 7mm. Histologic type: Invasive mucinous carcinoma. Histologic grade (Nottingham histologic score): Grade 1, (score 5/9). Tumor focality: Single focus. Lymph-vascular invasion: Not identified. Treatment effect: No known therapy. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): Present. Architectural pattern: Cribriform. Nuclear grade: Grade 1. Necrosis: Not identified. Calcifications: Not identified. Estimated size/extent of DCIS: Spanning an area measuring 15mm. Pathologic stage: pT1b, pNx. (AJCC 8th ed). Distant metastasis: Not applicable. Additional findings: Background lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), flat epithelial atypia (FEA), and atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH). |
Apply Breast Solid Tumor Rule M3, abstract a single tumor when there is a single tumor, as there is reference to the primary, single 7 mm tumor. Apply Rule H7 and code the invasive histology only, mucinous carcinoma, when both invasive and in situ components are present. The rules state: Do not use Table 2 Histology Combination Codes for tumors with both invasive and in situ behavior. |
2019 |
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20190103 | Solid Tumor Rules/Multiple primaries--Brain and CNS: What M rule applies to a clinically diagnosed right-sided parietal meningioma undergoing active surveillance, followed by a left-sided frontal anaplastic oligodendroglioma? See Discussion. |
The patient has two, separate, non-contiguous tumors. One tumor is a benign meningioma and the other is a malignant oligodendroglioma. The original plan was not to treat the asymptomatic meningioma. However, after worsening symptoms, imaging and resection proved a separate left frontal lobe malignant tumor. Rule M5 is the only M Rule in the Malignant CNS Multiple Primary Rules, Multiple Tumors module that addresses separate non-malignant and malignant tumors. This rule provides only two criteria to follow when a malignant tumor follows a non-malignant tumor. The first criteria (for non-malignant tumor followed by malignant tumor) states: --Patient had a resection of the non-malignant tumor (not the same tumor) OR --It is unknown/not documented if the patient had a resection. This patient did not have a resection of the original, separate, non-malignant tumor, but the treatment plan was known to not include a resection. Should Rule M5 also apply to cases where the patient never had treatment planned for the separate non-malignant tumor? |
Apply 2018 Malignant CNS Solid Tumor Rule M5 and abstract multiple primaries when there are multiple CNS tumors, one of which is malignant /3 and the other is non-malignant /0 or /1. According to Note 3, a non-malignant CNS tumor and a malignant CNS tumor are always multiple primaries (timing and primary sites are irrelevant). Prepare two abstracts; one for the non-malignant and another for the malignant tumor. |
2019 |
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20160028 | MP/H/Histology--Sarcoma: How should Ewing Sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) be coded for a 2012 case? See Discussion. |
SEER SINQ 20031051 applies to cases diagnosed before 2007 and advises: Code histology as 9260/3, Ewing sarcoma. Ewing sarcoma is a specific histology on the continuum of primitive neuroectodermal tumors. Code Ewing sarcoma as it is more specific than PNET, NOS.
For tumors diagnosed 2007 or later, refer to the MP/H rules. |
Apply 2007 MP/H rule H6 and assign the numerically higher ICD-O-3 code that reflects PNET (9364/3). According to the WHO Tumors of Soft Tissue and Bone, though Ewing sarcoma ICD-O-3 code is 9260/3, Ewing sarcoma with a higher degree of neuroectodermal differentiation present is classically termed peripheral neuroectodermal tumors (PNET). WHO does not offer guidance how to classify tumors stated to be Ewing sarcoma PNET.
Histology code 9364/3 is assigned for a Ewing/PNET that arises outside of the brain/CNS. Peripheral neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) and peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PPNET) are Ewing family tumors.
Histology code 9473/3 (PNET, primitive neuroectodermal tumor, central primitive neuroectodermal tumor, or supratentorial PNET) is only used for tumors arising inside the brain/CNS. |
2016 |
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20180065 | Immunotherapy: Is immunotherapy ever palliative treatment according to any oncologists or SEER? |
Any treatment that destroys or modifies cancer tissue should be recorded as the appropriate type of treatment -- chemo, immuno, etc. Even if immunotherapy is given for symptoms/palliative treatment, it is likely to kill off tumor cells. |
2018 | |
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20240010 | Solid Tumor Rules/Histology--Prostate: Other Sites Solid Tumor RulesTable 3 (Prostate Histologies), Note 1 in the Adenocarcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation (8574/3) row, conflicts with Note 2 and requires further clarification. See Discussion. |
Note 1 states that this histology is treatment-related neuroendocrine prostatic carcinoma demonstrating complete neuroendocrine differentiation or partial neuroendocrine differentiation with adenocarcinoma after androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT). Conversely, Note 2 says to code 8574/3 only when there is no history of previous prostate adenocarcinoma or history of androgen-deprivation therapy. The WHO Blue Book does confirm this is a treatment-related histology, so it seems we would only use this for an adenocarcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation (or even possibly a mixed histology tumor with adenocarcinoma and small cell carcinoma components) if the patient had previous treatment. If this histology is treatment-related, why would we use this code for a patient without a history of prostate adenocarcinoma or androgen-deprivation therapy? Should Note 2 be corrected? Does this histology apply to a post-treatment diagnosis of mixed adenocarcinoma and small cell carcinoma? If yes, should this clarification be added? |
Answer updated September 2025 Per consultation with a male genital and urinary subject matter expert pathologist, if a patient with a previous diagnosis of acinar adenocarcinoma (or a subtype variant of 8140/3) of the prostate was treated with radiation and/or androgen deprivation therapy (ADT, a form of hormonal therapy), the following subsequent diagnoses are NOT a new primary.
For example, a patient is diagnosed with acinar adenocarcinoma and undergoes hormone therapy. Two years later, the patient is diagnosed with adenosquamous carcinoma. The adenosquamous carcinoma should be considered treatment-related and is not a new primary. |
2024 |
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20240071 | Heme and Lymphoid Neoplasms/Multiple Primaries--Myeloproliferative Neoplasms: Are essential thrombocytosis (ET) in 1998 and primary myelofibrosis in 2022 the same primary or is the 2022 diagnosis a new primary? See Discussion.
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Patient was diagnosed with essential thrombocytosis 9962/1 or 3 in 1998 (depending if ET was reportable in 1998), treated with Hydrea. 11-17-2022 Blood smear: CALR + myeloproliferative neoplasm, Most Consistent with Primary Myelofibrosis 9961/3 (Noted CALR and ASXL1 mutations). The following abstractor note from 9661/3 is confusing: A diagnosis of "post essential thrombocythemia myelofibrosis" is a progression of essential thrombocythemia and would be the same primary. |
Answer updated September 2025: Abstract a single primary as primary myelofibrosis (9961/3). ET was not reportable in 1998. |
2024 |
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20200057 | Histology--Lung: Is there a better code for SMARCA4-deficient malignant neoplasms than 8000/3 that could be used especially given its aggressive nature? This term is not included in the Lung Solid Tumor Rules or ICD-O-3.1 and 3.2. See Discussion. |
Per Mayo consulting pathologist, the final diagnosis on this right lung biopsy is: SMARCA4-deficient malignant neoplasm (see Comment). Comment: Sections show a poorly-differentiated malignant neoplasm without any apparent glandular, squamous, or stromal differentiation. The tumor near totally replaces the underlying lung tissue without recognizable underlying alveolar parenchyma. Immunohistochemical stains performed at Mayo Clinic (Oscar keratin, INSM1, NUT, S100, desmin and BRG1 protein encoded by SMARCA4 gene) demonstrate that the malignant cells are positive for Oscar keratin (rare cells only), synaptophysin (weak/patchy) and p63 (focal) while negative for the remaining antibodies tested. Of note, SMARCA4 stain is negative in the tumor cells. Thus, this tumor can be categorized as a SMARCA4-deficient malignant neoplasm, which is known to be an aggressive malignancy, likely represent a SMARCA4-deficient thoracic sarcoma, a recently described entity. SMARCA4-deficient carcinomas in the lung have been reported to be mostly adenocarcinomas or squamous cell carcinomas, which would not fit for this case. Please refer to a paper published by our group (Sauter JL et al. Mod Pathol 2017;30:1422-32. |
Answer updated August 2025 Assign code 8044/3. WHO Classification of Thoracic Tumors, 5th edition, classifies SMARCA4-deficient malignant neoplasm as Thoracic SMARCA4-deficient undifferentiated tumor (SMARCA4-UT). |
2020 |
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