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Report Produced: 12/29/2025 11:40 AM

Report Question ID Question Discussion Answer Year
20081075 Race, ethnicity/Spanish surname or origin: SEER Program Manual instructions state, "Portugese, Brazilians and Filipinos are not Spanish; Code non-Spanish (code 0)." How is that determined? Is that based SOLELY on birthplace? See Discussion.

The following are scenarios for which we would like clarification on how to code Spanish Ethnicity.

  • Birthplace Portugal; text states Spanish, south American or European Spanish

  • Birthplace Brazil, last name is on Spanish surname list; pt is married female. Text states "Hispanic female, NOS"

  • Birthplace Brazil or Portugal, text states patient is "Mexican", last name is on Spanish surname list

    • Information about Spanish origin is available for both of these cases; code the race as Hispanic. Use the SEER manual instruction when the only information available is that the patient was born in Portugal, Brazil or the Philippines. In the absence of additional information, do not assume Hispanic. However, if additional information is available stating that the patient is Hispanic, code as Hispanic.

    Spanish Surname or Origin Scenarios

  • 6 [Spanish, NOS; Hispanic, NOS; Latino, NOS]

  • 6 [Spanish, NOS; Hispanic, NOS; Latino, NOS]

  • 1 [Mexican (includes Chicano)]

    		• 2008
    		20081113

    Reportability--Brain and CNS: Is a cavernoma reportable as a benign brain tumor? See Discussion.

    Cavernous hemangiomas are typically described as vascular malformations in the brain. Per a search of the literature, cavernoma, cavernous hemangioma and cavernous malformation are all synonymous. There is some controversy as to whether cavernomas are vascular malformations or tumors. Cavernous hemangioma (9121/0) has been assigned a code in the ICD-O-3. The other terms are not even listed. Benign brain guidelines indicate that named tumors that have been assigned an ICD-O-3 code are reportable. Would we report a lesion that is labeled cavernous hemangioma but not one that is labeled carvernoma? Are cavernous malformations of the brain to be reported as benign brain tumors? The MP/H guidelines for benign brain tumors do not include blood vessel tumors in chart 1.

    Are the following tumors reportable? If so, what is the primary site?

    Example 1: Patient admitted for resection. Clinical diagnosis is left temporal cavernous hemangioma. Path diagnosis is cerebral cortex and white matter showing cavernoma.

    Example 2: Patient admitted for resection with clinical diagnosis of parietal cavernous hemangioma. Path shows A-V malformation.

    Example 3: Patient had T4 spinal tumor removed. Path showed cavernous angioma.

    Reference: I&R 18109 and 23460

    Cavernoma is a reportable benign brain tumor. According to our pathologist consultant, cavernoma is synonymous with cavernous hemangioma.

    Examples

    1. Reportable. Primary site - C710 [cerebrum]

    2. Not reportable. Path dx disproves clinical diagnosis.

    3. Not reportable. Not a brain tumor.

    		 2008
    		20081005

    Histology/Behavior--Brain and CNS: How are these fields coded for an "anaplastic glioneuronal neoplasm with spongioblastic architecture"? See Discussion.

    Scenario: Addendum from Mayo Clinic review, IHC and consultation made dx of "anaplastic glioneuronal neoplasm with spongioblastic architecture". The original micro states 'high grade glial neoplasm w/o characteristic features of glioblastoma multiforme in that it lacks areas of significant necrosis, no nuclear palisading nor endothelial vascular proliferation...."

    The best code available according to our pathologist consultant is 9505/3 [Ganglioglioma, anaplastic]. According to our consultant, while ganglioglioma is traditionally a benign tumor, anaplastic ganglioglioma is classified as malignant by WHO (page 103), and comes as close to fitting the description of this tumor as any other term.

    		 2008
    		20081101

    MP/H Rules/Multiple primaries--Lung: If a 1.7 cm LUL lung tumor is not treated surgically, would a 2.1 cm tumor in the same lobe three years later be a new primary? See Discussion.

    In 2004 the patient has a 1.7cm squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed in the LUL of the lung treated with radiation and chemotherapy. In 2007, the patient was diagnosed with a 2.1cm squamous cell carcinoma in the LUL treated with radiation. According to the lung MP/H rules, the 2007 tumor would be a new primary. Given that there was no surgery, would the second tumor be progression of disease or would it be a new primary?

    For cases diagnosed 2007 or later:

    If the tumor diagnosed in 2004 was successfully treated and disappeared, apply the MP/H rules for lung. According to rule M8, the 2004 tumor and the 2007 tumor are multiple primaries. If there was no disease-free interval between tumor occurrences, that is, if the 2007 tumor is still the same tumor that was diagnosed in 2004, the MP/H rules do not apply.

    		 2008
    		20081008 Surgery of Primary Site--Breast: How is this field coded when a re-excision follows a prior mastectomy?

    Code the most extensive surgery in Surgery of Primary Site. This is a cumulative field. Assign the appropriate code including all surgeries of the primary site performed during the first course of treatment.

    The correct code for mastectomy followed by re-excision will depend on the extent of the re-excision. For example, if the re-excision removed muscle, code radical mastectomy.

    		 2008
    		20081056 MP/H Rules--Lung: In reference to lung, SINQ 20071028 states "'nodule' is not an equivalent term for tumor, mass, lesion, or neoplasm." However, slide 5 for the MPH lung section of "Beyond the Basics" states "we use the words 'mass, nodule and lesion' interchangeably." Which is it?

    For cases diagnosed 2007 or later:

    For the purpose of applying the Lung MP/H rules, the word "Nodule" can be used interchageably with "Tumor," "Mass," "Lesion" and "Neoplasm." HOWEVER, this does NOT apply to casefinding or staging.

    This revision will be added to the next version of the MP/H rules. Sinq question 20071028 will be revised.

    		 2008
    		20081026 MP/H rules/Multiple primaries: Is a 2007 cytology diagnosis of adenocarcinoma in bile duct a new primary for a patient with a 2005 diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of gallbladder? See Discussion.

    A case abstracted for an adenocarcinoma of gallbladder (C23.9) in 2005. In 2007, cytology diagnosis of adenocarcinoma in bile duct(C24.0). Oncologist calls this recurrence. There is no pathologist statement of recurrence.

    Using Other Sites multiple primary rules, rule M10 indicates this is multiple primaries. Sequence 01 dx in 2005 and sequence 02 dx in 2007. Is this correct? There is no statement of a primary tumor; the MP/H rules talk in terms of mass, lesion, tumor in a primary site.

    		 For cases diagnosed 2007 or later, abstract the 2007 bile duct diagnosis as a new primary unless it is described as metastatic. 2008
    		20081004 First course treatment/Histology--Lymphoma: What treatment, if any, is coded for a patient with methotrexate induced lymphoma when the treatment plan is to take the patient off methotrexate? Also, is there a specific histology for drug induced lymphoma? See Discussion. Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma of soft palate & nasal septum, methotrexate induced, in 5/07. Patient was taken off methotrexate with complete resolution of disease. No other treatment was given. Patient was on methotrexate for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

    For cases diagnosed prior to 1/1/2010:Treatment: Code the treatment fields to 00 [not done] in this case.

    Document the discontinuation of methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis in a text field.

    Histology: Assign code 9680/36 [Malignant lymphoma, large B-cell, diffuse, NOS]. There is no specific histology code for therapy-related lymphoma.

    For cases diagnosed 1/1/10 and later, refer to the Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Neoplasm Case Reportability and Coding Manual and the Hematopoietic Database (Hematopoietic DB) provided by SEER on its website to research your question. If those resources do not adequately address your issue, submit a new question to SINQ.

    		 2008
    		20081132 MP/H Rules--Breast: What is the histology code for a breast tumor that is ductal ca with focal squamous differentiation? See Discussion. SINQ 20021062 states for cases Dx'd prior to 2007, use 8570. Is 8570 also used when the squamous differentiation is focal? For cases diagnosed 2007 or later, use rule H14 and code the histology 8500 [duct carcinoma]. Ignore histologies described as "focal," "focus," or "foci." This instruction will be added to the histology rules in the upcoming revision of the MP/H manual. 2008
    		20091084 Primary site--Colon: How do you determine the correct subsite when there is conflicting information in different reports? Are there priority rules for coding subsite for sites other than Head and Neck? See Discussion. The path report for a hemicolectomy says, " Specimen: left colon..." and the microscopic says, "...received in formalin designated left colon..." The Operative procedure report says, "Postoperative diagnosis - splenic flexure tumor." The text of this report says, "Mobilizing the splenic flexure mass was incredibly difficult..." and then goes on to describe exactly how and where it was resected. The discharge summary says adenosquamous carcinoma of the splenic flexure. SINQ20051010 says to use the pathology report first, but this was written before the new MP/H rules.

    Use the operative report information to code primary site in this case. It is more accurate.

    The operative report is usually a better source of location information compared to the pathology report. The pathologist can only reiterate the location as it was reported to him/her.

    The 2007 SEER manual states "Unless otherwise instructed, use all available information to code the site," page 69.

    		 2009