Chemotherapy--Breast: Is chemotherapy administered for inflammatory breast cancer also coded as therapy for an in situ tumor in the contralateral breast?
Yes. Because chemotherapy would likely affect both primaries, code it as treatment for both the in situ and the inflammatory breast cancers.
CS Site Specific Factor--Prostate: Explain the difference among SSF4 prostate codes 150 [No clinical involvement of prostatic apex & prostatectomy apex extension unknown], 510 [Clinical involvement of prostatic apex unknown & No prostatectomy apex extension], and 550 [Clinical involvement of prostatic apex unknown & prostatectomy apex extension unknown].
This answer was provided in the context of CSv1 coding guidelines. The response may not be used after your registry database has been converted to CSv2.Site Specific Factor 4 captures the status of clinical apex involvement and prostatectomy apex involvement. The first digit in codes 110-550 indicates the clinical status of apex involvement. The second digit indicates apex involvement found at prostatectomy. The third digit is always zero. For both first and second digits, the codes and definitions are the same:
1 - No involvement of prostatic apex
2 - Into prostatic apex/arising in prostatic apex, NOS
3 - Arising into prostatic apex
4 - Extension into prostatic apex
5 - Apex extension unknown
Code 150 = No clinical involvement of prostatic apex & prostatectomy apex extension unknown
Code 510 = Clinical involvement of prostatic apex unknown & No prostatectomy apex extension
Reportability: Is an AIN III that arises in perianal skin, skin tags or condyloma acuminatum reportable or must an AIN III arise in the anus or anal canal in order to be reportable?
AIN III arising in perianal skin [C445] is not reportable.
AIN III [8077/2] of the anus or anal canal is reportable.
Multiple Primaries (Pre-2007)/Histology (Pre-2007)--Brain and CNS: How many primaries should be abstracted and should the histology field(s) be coded to 9530/1 [Meningiomatosis, NOS] or 9530/0 [Meningioma, NOS] to represent a case that presents with MRI confirmed multiple meningiomas (e.g., left dura, right parasagittal region, and left frontal lobe)?
For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007:
Abstract this case as two primaries, right and left cerebral meninges. Code the histology for both primaries to 9530/0 [Meningioma, NOS]. Use code 9530/1 [Meningiomatosis, NOS] only when the diagnosis is stated to be meningiomatosis, or multiple meningiomas.
For tumors diagnosed 2007 or later, refer to the MP/H rules. If there are still questions about how this type of tumor should be coded, submit a new question to SINQ and include the difficulties you are encountering in applying the MP/H rules.
Chemotherapy/Radiation Therapy--Lymphoma: How is treatment coded when Rituxan is given in combination with the monoclonal antibody Zevalin conjugated to 90-Yttrium or the monoclonal antibody Bexxar conjugated to 131-Iodine in the treatment of NHL?
Code Rituxan as chemotherapy. Code 90-Yttrium as radioisotope. Code 131-Iodine as radioisotope when given with Rituxan as treatment for lymphoma.
Zevalin is a monoclonal antibody conjugated to Yttrium 90. Bexxar is a monoclonal antibody conjugated to Iodine 131. In both drugs, the monoclonal antibody is only the delivery agent for the radioisotope. Both drugs should be coded as radioisotopes. The one-two-three punch of Rituxan and zevalin followed by Rituxan and Bexxar should be coded as chemotherapy plus radioisotopes. Zevalin is also used by itself for people who have not responded to Rituxan.
Histology--Head & Neck: How do you code histology for a myofibroblastic sarcoma of the soft tissue of the head and neck?
Assign code 8825/3 [Myofibroblastoma, malignant]. According to the WHO Classification of Soft Tissue Tumors, "Low grade myofibroblastic sarcoma represents a distinct atypical myofibroblastic tumor often with fibromatosis-like features and predilection for the head and neck." Also called myofibrosarcoma.
Primary site--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: Should the primary site be coded to C421 [bone marrow] or C770-C779 [lymph nodes] for an adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma [9827/3] that presented with a positive bone marrow biopsy and involvement of lymph nodes and the lung?
Code the primary site to the involved lymph nodes [C770-C779]. Per Rule PH 8, it indicates you are to code the primary site to the site of origin when lymph node(s) or lymph node region(s), tissue(s) or organs are involved. Note 2 further states that the bone marrow may or may not be involved. If the bone marrow is involved, code this information in the CS Extension field.
Per the Abstractor Notes section in the Heme DB, this is a systemic disease with widespread lymph node involvement as well as involvement of the peripheral blood. In addition, systemic involvement of extranodal sites (including lung) are often involved.
SEER*Educate provides training on how to use the Heme Manual and DB. If you are unsure how to arrive at the answer in this SINQ question, refer to SEER*Educate to practice coding hematopoietic and lymphoid neoplasms. Review the step-by-step instructions provided for each case scenario to learn how to use the application and manual to arrive at the answer provided. https://educate.fhcrc.org/LandingPage.aspx.
Multiplicity Counter--Ill-defined sites: How is this field coded for Ill-Defined sites (C760-C768)?
Code the number of tumors present if known. If the number of tumors present is not known, code 99 [unknown number of tumors, unknown if multiple tumors].
Multiplicity Counter: Is there a time frame for the Multiplicity Counter or is it related to the duration for counting new tumors (i.e. 5 years for breast, etc) to capture the number of "local recurrences"?
Record the number of tumors counted as a single primary at the time the case is abstracted. Later, if additional tumors are determined to be the same primary, update this field once. Do not update the multiplicity counter more than once.
CS Extension--Ovary: How are the following terms coded when they are described in the medical record without any other qualifying information? Seeding, talcum powder appearance, salting, miliary, and studding.
This answer was provided in the context of CSv1 coding guidelines. The response may not be used after your registry database has been converted to CSv2.Seeding, talcum powder appearance, salting and studding are synonymous with implants. When the size of implants is not stated, but operative report and scans state "seeding," "talcum powder appearance," "salting," and "studding" the CS extension code choice will depend on the location of the seeding, talcum powder appearance, salting, or studding.
The word "miliary" is not documented as a synonym for implants.
The term miliary does not affect the CS extension code choice according to the current CS instructions.