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20180104 | Reportability--Ambiguous terminology: Are the following terms reportable: almost certainly and until proven otherwise? See Discussion. |
Example 1: Physician states patient has an almost certain melanoma. Due to the patient's age, there is no plan to for any treatment or further workup. Almost certain is not listed as a reportable phrase, so typically we would not accession this case. Example 2: Imaging states a diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma until proven otherwise. No additional workup is available at this facility. This terminology is also not seen on the ambiguous reportable terminology list but we are seeing it more often and wanted confirmation. |
Use the ambiguous terminology list as a last resort. Consult with the physician and search for further information to assist with the decision. If no further information can be obtained, use the ambiguous terms list to decide; in this case, the terms are not on the list and these examples would not be reportable. |
2018 |
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20180038 | Multiple Primaries--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: How many primaries should be reported when a 10/10/2017 skin biopsy identified myeloid sarcoma with monocytic differentiation, clinically stated to be leukemia cutis is followed by an 11/2/2017 BM biopsy showing an evolving high grade myelodysplastic process with atypical monocytes, likely an early evolving acute myeloid leukemia (AML), clinically stated to be a therapy-related AML (9920/3)? See Discussion. |
Code 9920/3 is not included under rule M3. However, disease process knowledge would indicate that because the patient has an underlying AML subtype, the leukemia cutis is due to the AML cells that have migrated into the skin tissue. This appears to be a single advanced disease process essentially diagnosed simultaneously. |
The leukemia cutis is secondary to leukemia that is already present. This is multiple disease processes going on at the same time. Look for more information on this case. Is there any previous diagnosis of MDS, leukemia, or some other disease that would result in a treatment related AML? If no further information can be found, abstract one primary with 9920/3. |
2018 |
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20180007 | Multiple primaries/Primary site--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: Are plasmacytomas in thyroid and laryngeal masses one primary based on rule M2, abstract a single primary when there is a single histology? If so, what is the primary site? See Discussion. |
Patient presented with hoarseness and palpable neck mass. No palpable adenopathy (per hospital abstract). 02/19/16 Thyroid Ultrasound: Right thyroid lobe with mass, 63X35X44XMM (per hospital abstract). 06/01/16 Right thyroid lobectomy, radical resection right laryngeal tumor (per hospital abstract). 06/01/16 Operative Procedure: Tumor was invading laryngeal soft tissue and cartilage anteriorly and to the right. There may be a small amount of residual tumor invading cartilage although this was not clear (per hospital abstract). GROSS DESCRIPTION: 1. The specimen is received fresh for intraoperative consultation, labeled with the patient's name and "right thyroid mass." It consists of a 3.0 x 2.2 x 2.0 cm irregular, ragged fragment of tan-red, firm, rubbery soft tissue. The specimen is serially sectioned to reveal a tan-red, gritty cut surface with focal fleshy areas. A touch prep is performed. A representative section is submitted for frozen section analysis in 1FSA. A portion of tissue is submitted for flow cytometry with the accession number MSO-16-1786. The remaining specimen is entirely submitted in 4 additional cassettes (1B-1E). 2. The specimen is received in formalin and is labeled "right thyroid lobe." It consists of a thyroid lobe measuring 4.3 x 4.0 x 1.3 cm and weighing 10.0 g. The external surface is covered by a thin fibrous capsule with a focal area of roughening on the posterior surface. The lobe is inked black posterior, blue anterior and orange isthmus margin. Serial sectioning reveals a red-brown and beefy parenchyma. A definitive nodule is not grossly identified. The entire specimen is serially submitted from superior to inferior in 9 cassettes. 3. The specimen is received in formalin, labeled with the patient's name and "right neck/laryngeal mass." It consists of an irregular, focally nodular red-tan mass measuring 7.0 x 5.5 x 4.0 cm and weighing 54 g. The convex portion of the specimen is mostly encapsulated with focal adherent red-brown striated skeletal muscle. The concave portion of the specimen is focally ragged and disrupted. The convex portion of the specimen is inked black and the concave portion is inked blue. The specimen is serially sectioned to reveal a white-grey to red, granular, gritty cut surface with focal fleshy areas. Representative sections are submitted in 12 cassettes. Final DX DIAGNOSIS: 1. Right thyroid mass excision Plasma cell tumor /plasmacytoma 3 cm. Tumor cells are positive for kappa and negative for lambda immunostains. Recommend correlation with flow cytometry MSO-16-1786, monoclonal plasma cell population with cytoplasmic kappa positivity. Ki-67 stains 7 percent of cells. Focal stromal hyalinization. Congo red stain for amyloid negative. No thyroidal tissue identified. 2. Right thyroid lobe excision Benign thyroid tissue with focal solid cell nest negative for malignancy. One out of two 1/2 perithyroidal lymph nodes positive for plasma cell tumor. 3. Laryngeal mass excision Plasma cell tumor /plasmacytoma 7 cm involving soft tissue and skeletal muscle. Tumor cells are positive for kappa and negative for lambda immunostains. Ki-67 stains 7 percent of cells. Focal stromal hyalinization and calcification. Congo red stain for amyloid negative |
Abstract this case as a single primary. Hematopoietic Multiple Primary Rule M2 applies. Code to unknown primary, C809, based on rule PH27. There is no indication in the information provided of the site of origin; therefore, PH2 cannot be used. We recommend a thorough review of the case to determine if the site of origin is identified in the medical record. |
2018 |
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20180031 | First Course of Treatment/Other Therapy: Where do you code Optune TTF therapy? What needs to be included in the text portion to document this treatment? |
Code OPTUNE in the Other Treatment field. See NovaTTF in SEER*Rx (http://seer.cancer.gov/seertools/seerrx/). NovaTTF is the pre-FDA approval name for OPTUNE. If OPTUNE was administered for recurrence, be sure NOT to record it in the first course of treatment fields. Check with CoC if you have questions about coding treatment for recurrence. |
2018 | |
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20180021 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018)/Histology--Corpus uteri: What is the correct histology code for "Mesophrenic-like adenocarcinoma" of the corpus uteri?" See Discussion. |
The article I read (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=28984674) makes the distinction between mesophrenic adenocarcinoma and mesophrenic-like adenocarcinoma. The authors propose the term mesonephric-like Mullerian adenocarcinoma. So would this be coded as Mullerian adenocarcinoma? |
Assign code 9110/3, mesonephric adenocarcinoma. These tumors commonly arise in the cervical wall and more commonly involve the lower uterine segment than do other cervical adenocarcinomas. |
2018 |
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20180033 | Reportability--Corpus uteri: Is smooth muscle tumor with uncertain malignant potential (STUMP) reportable? See Discussion. |
Spindled cell lesion of smooth muscle origin (desmin and SMA are positive, CD34, S100, pancytokeratin, Pax8, MDM2 and CDK4 are negative). Many of the cells have hyperchromatic, bizarre-shaped nuclei. Mitotic activity is inconspicuous. There are no areas of necrosis. The overall findings in this biopsy is best classified as a "STUMP"; however, a leiomyosarcoma cannot be excluded. |
STUMP (smooth muscle tumor of uncertain malignant potential) is not reportable. According to the WHO classification of uterine corpus tumors, the behavior code for STUMP is /1. |
2018 |
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20180076 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018)/Histology--Head & Neck: Where does cytology rank on the Priority Order for Using Documentation to Identify Histology for Head and Neck primaries? See Discussion. |
Cytology is not listed in the Priority Order for Using Documentation to Identify Histology (Histology Coding Rules) in the Head and Neck schema. Other schemas do include cytology in the hierarchy below tissue from a biopsy or resection. Cytology is often less specific than histology, so one would expect cytology to be listed below tissue in this hierarchy. Was this an oversight? Or would cytology be equivalent to histology if it provided the most specific histology for the case? |
Instruction #5 in the Priority Order for Using Documentation to Identify Histology of the Head and Neck Solid Tumor Rules, Item 5.B., refers to cytology in the documentation though cytology is not listed before this. In H&N tumors, cytology is usually performed on lymph nodes and seldom on a primary tumor. Cytology will be added to H&N in the next update. |
2018 |
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20180030 | First Course of Treatment/Surgery of Primary Site--Melanoma: How do you code UVB therapy treatment for melanoma? |
Code UVB therapy for melanoma as photodynamic therapy under Surgery of Primary Site for skin. Assign code 11 [Photodynamic therapy (PDT)] if there is no pathology specimen. Assign code 21 [Photodynamic therapy (PDT)] if there is a pathology specimen. Use text fields to document details. |
2018 | |
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20180029 | Reportability--Skin: Is early/evolving lentigo maligna reportable? |
As of 01/01/2021, early or evolving melanoma in situ, or any other early or evolving melanoma, is reportable. |
2018 | |
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20180070 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018)/Histology--Lung: The Histology coding guidelines for lung cancer state to code histology when stated as type or subtype but not to code when described as pattern. How should the histology be coded (Adeno, NOS or Adeno, Mixed subtypes) if the College of Americal Pathologists Protocol of the pathology report lists the following: Histologic type: Adenocarcinoma, papillary (90%), lepidic (8%), and solid (2%) patterns? |
The term/modifier "patterns" is no longer allowed to code a specific histology according to the Lung Solid Tumor H rules. Disregard the papillary, lepidic, and solid patterns and code histology to adenocarcinoma, NOS (8140/3). |
2018 |
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