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Report Produced: 12/21/2025 08:15 AM

Report Question ID Question Discussion Answer Year
20220016

Histology--Thyroid:  What is the correct histology code for a follicular carcinoma, minimally invasive, oncocytic variant of the thyroid?  See Discussion.

There is an ICD-O histology code for follicular carcinoma, minimally invasive (8335/3) as well as follicular carcinoma, oxyphilic cell (8290/3). Per SINQ 20150045, the term oncocytic is synonymous with oxyphilic in this context.

The Multiple Primaries/Histology General Instructions and histology rules do not include the term “variant” as a term that can be used to code a further histologic subtype. The term “variant” can be used for the Other Sites (non-updated STR sites) when the ICD-O-3.2 (or ICD-O-3 for older cases) provides the term “variant” in the histology name.

Code follicular carcinoma, minimally invasive, oncocytic variant of the thyroid to follicular carcinoma, oncocytic variant (8290/3).  The term "variant" is commonly used in thyroid histologies and if appropriate, used to determine histology code. The WHO Classification of Tumors of Endocrine Organs, 4th edition, lists synonyms for 8290/3 as Hürthle cell carcinoma; oncoycytic carcinoma; oxyphilic carcinoma; follicular carcinoma, Hürthle cell type; and follicular carcinoma, oncocytic variant.

 2022
20220044

Solid Tumor Rules (2018/2021)/Histology--Head & Neck:  What is the histology code for a uvula (C052) primary with histology of squamous cell carcinoma, conventional (keratinizing) and p16 result is negative? See Discussion.

The Schema ID for C051 (soft palate, NOS) and C052 (uvula) is Oropharynx (either 00100 or 00111 depending on p16). The Solid Tumor Rules Manual includes these site codes are under Table 4: Tumors of Oral Cavity and Mobile Tongue site group for histology coding. We are aware of the notes that allow coding of 8086 for keratinizing SCC, HPV-negative for sites listed in Table 5 only. However, it seems like C051 and C052 were incorrectly omitted from Table 5 (mis-categorized under Table 4). Can we code 8085 for 8086 for C051 or C052 based on p16/HPV status?

Assign code 8071/3 for keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma.  Codes 8085 and 8086 are only valid for the Head and Neck sites listed in Table 5 beginning with cases diagnosed 01/01/2022 and forward.

 2022
20220005

Reportability--Ambiguous Terminology:  Can the term “at most” preceding a statement of a reportable diagnosis be used to accession a case? See Discussion.

A January 2022 endometrium biopsy and curettage both show final diagnosis of “mild cytologic atypia and glandular crowding, at most endometrioid intraepithelial neoplasia.”  Any subsequent surgery path is unlikely to provide clarification.

Do not report the case in this scenario based on the diagnosis alone of mild cytologic atypia and glandular crowding, at most endometrioid intraepithelial neoplasia.  "At most" is not an ambiguous term for reportability.  It appears that "at most" in this case refers to the worst possible option within other possible options (differential diagnosis).  Differential diagnoses are "educated guesses" or hypotheses and are usually not reportable unless proven otherwise.  As there is no clear statement of the diagnosis in this case, we recommend that you seek additional information, for example, clinical diagnosis, treatment, and patient care.

 2022
20220043

First Course Treatment/Neoadjuvant Therapy--Melanoma:  How are the three Neoadjuvant Therapy data items (Neoadjuvant Therapy, Neoadjuvant Therapy--Clinical Response, Neoadjuvant Therapy--Treatment  Effect) coded when a patient is diagnosed with melanoma in the lymph nodes with no primary skin site identified? The physician gives immunotherapy as neoadjuvant therapy with planned and carried out surgical resection of involved lymph nodes following completion of immunotherapy. There is no "planned definitive surgical resection of the primary site" as no primary site was found,

Assign code 0 to each of the three Neoadjuvant Therapy data items in this situation.

We will add an example to the coding instructions for these data items in the next release of the manual.

 2022
20220001

Solid Tumor Rules (2022)/Histology--Bladder:  Can the term configuration be used to code the more specific histology for bladder primaries diagnosed 2022 and later? See Discussion.

In the September 2021 Urinary Sites Solid Tumor Rules update, the term configuration was removed from the “DO NOT CODE histology when described as” list. However, it was not added as a term that can be used to code the more specific histology for urinary tumors.

Can configuration be used to code the more specific histology 8130 (papillary urothelial carcinoma) when the diagnosis is urothelial carcinoma, tumor configuration: papillary?

Beginning with cases diagnosed 1/1/2022, the term "configuration" can be used to code histology for urinary sites only. At the request of the AJCC urinary experts, the instructions were changed to allow configuration to be used to code histology.

 2022
20220003

Reportability/Histology--Anus:  Are 2021 diagnoses of anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) II or AIN II-III reportable in patients with a known history of AIN II or AIN II-III diagnosed prior to 2021? See Discussion.

Patient has a history of AIN I/low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) dating back to at least 2015, was diagnosed with AIN II-III in 12/2019, and then diagnosed again with AIN II-III in 08/2021. There is no indication of treatment or a disease-free interval for this patient.

SINQ 20210015, while not an exact match to this case, implies there is no clear disease-free interval for these AIN diagnoses, so it is the same non-reportable neoplasm diagnosed prior to reportability (12/2019). However, there was a diagnosis of a reportable neoplasm in 2021, so it also seems possible this would be accessioned as a reportable tumor based on a diagnosis of reportable tumor diagnosis in 2021.

With the reportability changes for these intraepithelial neoplasia II/II-III tumors, these situations will arise more frequently.

Report AIN II and AIN II-III cases when initially diagnosed in 2021 or later.  Do not report retrospective cases; that is, cases with diagnoses prior to 2021 with continuation of AIN II or AIN II-III extending into the reportable period. 

 2022
20220028

Reportability/EOD Primary Tumor--Ovary: Bilateral ovary shows gonadoblastoma with germ cell neoplasia in situ (9064/2). Pathology report clearly states in situ. Is this case reportable?

If this case is reportable, how would you code Extent of Disease (EOD) Primary Tumor and SEER Summary Stage (SS)? In situ code 000 for primary tumor and code 0 for SS 2018 is not given as an option.

Report germ cell neoplasia in situ (9064/2). Assign 999 for EOD Primary Tumor and assign 9 for SS2018.

This particular histology is in the Soft Tissue Abdomen and Thoracic schema where EOD PT 000 and SS2018 0 are not available. This histology will be moved to the Ovary schema after redefining certain schemas and thus making the more accurate choices for EOD and SS2018 available. The schema redefine is planned for 2024 implementation.

 2022
20220041

Primary Site/Histology--Intrahepatic Duct:  How are primary site and histology coded for cholangiocarcinoma cases when the pathology only shows a liver tumor and other involvement.  See Discussion.

A common scenario is a patient has a positive CT of the abdomen/pelvis for liver mass only. Biopsy of the liver mass is positive for cholangiocarcinoma. The physician is also calling the liver tumor the primary site with histology of cholangiocarcinoma. There is no evidence of intrahepatic bile duct (C221) or gallbladder (C240) involvement which are sites specific to this histology. The hematology/oncology consult stages this as Stage IIIA, T3N0M0 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.  Can we code cholangiocarcinoma with site code C220 (liver) or should we assume that C221 (intrahepatic bile ducts) would be a better code to reflect this histology?  

Assign C221 (intrahepatic bile duct) as the primary site for cholangiocarcinoma (8160/3).  Our expert GI pathologist confirms that even when intrahepatic bile ducts are not specifically mentioned, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma originates in the intrahepatic bile ducts.

 2022
20220018

Solid Tumor Rules/Histology--Thyroid:  What is the correct histology code for the following thyroid primary with multiple tumors abstracted as one primary diagnosed prior to 2021?  See Discussion.

2016 Total thyroidectomy, Multifocal

-Dominant Tumor:  Right Lobe, Papillary thyroid carcinoma (8260/3)

-Tumors two through five:  Three tumors Papillary thyroid carcinoma (8260/3), and one tumor Papillary thyroid carcinoma, follicular variant (8340/3)

-An additional tumor: Non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (8343/2)

Code this multifocal thyroid carcinoma, single primary, as papillary thyroid carcinoma, follicular variant (8340/3) using Solid Tumor Rules, Other Sites, Rule H13 that says to code the most specific histologic term. We consulted with our endocrine specialty pathologist and when there is a mix of papillary and follicular variants, assign 8340.

Non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features is coded as 8349/1 beginning in 2021.  According to the WHO Classification of Endocrine Organs, 4th edition, it was formerly classified as non-invasive encapsulated follicular variant of PTC (FVPTC) (8343/2) but was reclassified based on extremely low malignant potential.

 2022
20220010

EOD 2018/Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms--Myeloid Sarcoma: How is Extent of Disease (EOD) Primary Tumor coded for a myeloid sarcoma with multifocal skin involvement? See Discussion.

Patient has a diagnosis of myeloid sarcoma presenting as multiple erythematous papules and nodules on back, chest, right arm & shoulder. Oncologist did not mention any evidence or suspicion of an associated AML diagnosis.

HemeRetic schema EOD Primary Tumor Note 1 states that myeloid sarcoma can be coded as localized (code 100) or systemic (code 700). It is not clear what would qualify as systemic disease for myeloid sarcoma.

Assign code 100, localized, using the 2018 EOD Primary Tumor, HemeRetic schema, for the myeloid sarcoma with skin involvement since only the skin is involved. Use code 700, distant or disseminated, when multiple organs are involved.

 2022