SEER Inquiry System - Search

Systemic/Surgery Sequence: The note associated with code 4 in Systemic Treatment/Surgery Sequence in the 2018 SEER Manual says: Code 4 is intended for situations with at least two episodes or courses of systemic therapy. Does this mean two different types of systemic therapy before and after surgery? See Discussion.

Terminology/EOD-Extension--Prostate: How does SEER define the prostatic "apex"? See discussion.

Terms of involvement--Lung: Is "intense uptake" described on a PET scan an indication of involvement? See Description.

Tumor Size--Clinical--Breast: Does information from any type of biopsy take precedence over an imaging report? See Discussion.

Tumor Size--Esophagus: Can information from the endoscopy procedure that implies a size of 3 cm for Tumor Size--Clinical be used for Esophagus? See Discussion.

Tumor Size--Pathologic--Anus: In 2019, the pathology report of an anal canal squamous cell carcinoma stated the tumor size is 2.5 cm from proximal to distal (3.5 cm in circumference).  Is the pathologic tumor size tumor size 025 or 035? 

Tumor Size/Bladder: The 2018 SEER Coding and Staging Manual says to use imaging over physical exam as priority for determining tumor size. If a bladder tumor is 4 cm visualized on cystoscopy, and is 2.8 cm on CT scan, which should be used as the clinical size? Is cystoscopy (endoscopy) a clinical exam or imaging?

Tumor Size/Corpus uteri--Endometrium: Is clinical tumor size coded to the endometrial stripe measurement or thickening in the endometrium. See Discussion.

Tumor Size/Neoadjuvant Treatment:  If a patient discontinues neoadjuvant therapy and then has surgery, how is the pathologic tumor size coded with the pathologic tumor size greater than the clinical tumor size? Currently, we are instructed to code 999 for the pathologic tumor size when neoadjuvant therapy is given; what happens when neoadjuvant chemotherapy is discontinued after 3 cycles (plan for 4 cycles)? 

Type of Multiple Tumors/Multiplicity Counter--Breast. Are the data items "Type of Multiple Tumors Reported as One Primary" and "Multiplicity Counter" related? How should they be coded for breast cases in which there are multiple measured invasive tumors, plus DCIS which is not measured nor stated whether it is separate from the invasive tumors? See Discussion.