EOD-Pathologic Extension--Prostate: Can a pathological extension code be assigned when a retropubic prostatectomy is done? See discussion.
The TNM manual states, "Total prostatoseminalvesiculectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection are required for pathologic staging."
For cases diagnosed 1998-2003:
The pathology report from a retropubic prostatectomy should be used to code the Pathologic Extension field. This field is coded using pathology report information from the prostatectomy operation regardless of the surgical approach and regardless of whether or not a pelvic lymph node dissection was performed. This is one area in which TNM rules for pathologic staging and SEER rules for EOD are slightly different.
Grade/Cell indicator--Lymphoma: How is Grade/Cell indicator coded for anaplastic large cell lymphoma? See Discussion.
The SPCM states cell indicator codes take precedence over grade/differentiation codes for lymphoma and leukemia cases.
For cases diagnosed prior to 1/1/2010:Because there is no cell indicator information, code 9 [cell type not determined] in the grade/cell indicator field. Do not code grade for lymphoma. For lymphoma and leukemia this field is the cell indicator.
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.
Behavior--Bladder: What behavior code is used for a TURB path specimen diagnosis of "non-invasive urothelial carcinoma, no muscle found, depth of invasion cannot be assessed" when the clinician stages the case as Ta? See Discussion.
The SEER site specific coding module for bladder says, "If the only surgery performed is a TURB and if it is documented that depth of invasion cannot be measured because there is no muscle in the specimen, code the behavior as malignant and not in situ."
Assign behavior code 2 [in situ] based on the physician's stage Ta.
When no other information is available and the TNM designation is not available, use the instructions on page C-844 in Appendix C of the 2007 SEER manual as a default.
Multiple Primaries (Pre-2007)--Kidney: How many primaries are reportable in a patient treated with a bilateral nephrectomy that revealed multiple tumors within each kidney and the histology in both the left and the right kidney was "renal cell carcinoma, indeterminate type: multiple histologically identical tumors" and the clinical discharge diagnosis was "bilateral renal cell carcinoma, probably surgically cured"? See discussion.
The SEER manual states "If only one histologic type is reported and if both sides of a paired site are involved within two months of diagnosis, a determination must be made as to whether the patient has one or two independent primaries." Frequently, the only statement we have is that "bilateral organs are involved." Additional guidelines for determining number of primaries would be helpful.
For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007:
Report this case as two primaries, left and right kidneys. According to our pathologist consultant, "The description sounds like bilateral multiple primaries. Multicentricity in the same kidney occurs in about 4% of all cases, and bilaterality in 0.5 to 3% (Atlas of Tumor Pathology, Tumors of the Kidney, Bladder, and Related Urinary Structures)."
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.
MP/H Rules/Histology--Prostate: While cases of "acinar adenocarcinoma" of the prostate are required to be abstracted with the histology code 8140/3 [adenocarcinoma, NOS] for cases diagnosed 1/1/07 or later, can 8550/3 [acinar adenocarcinoma] be used for cases diagnosed prior to 1/1/07? See Discussion.
The SEER Multiple Primary and Histology manual, effective with 2007 forward diagnosis dates, indicates that this histology should be coded to 8140/3 [adenocarcinoma, NOS]. Does this contradict ICD-O-3? Can acinar adenocarcinoma be coded for other primary sites?
For cases diagnosed 2007 or later, code acinar adenocarcinoma of the prostate as 8140/3.
Prior to diagnosis year 2007, code 8550/3 [acinar adenocarcinoma] may be used for prostate cases and for acinar adenocarcinoma of other sites, such as pancreas.
Grade--Liver: How should grade be coded for a liver lesion treated with radio frequency ablation (RFA) followed by a transplant showing moderately differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma? See discussion.
The SEER Manual emphasizes the importance of coding grade only prior to neoadjuvant treatment as systemic treatment and radiation can alter a tumor's grade. This patient did not have neoadjuvant chemotherapy or radiation, but did undergo a prior surgical procedure (RFA) in an attempt to destroy tumor tissue. The subsequent transplant showed residual moderately differentiated HCC.
For this case, record the grade specified even though it is after RFA. RFA is not systemic or radiation treatment and should not alter the grade.
Sex: How is sex coded for a transsexual diagnosed with a testicular primary? See Discussion.
The Physical Exam states patient is male. There is a note that the patient is transsexual. There is no indication that the orchiectomy was part of gender reassignment surgery.
Code sex to 1 [male]. When the natal sex is known, code that over transsexual.
Hematologic Transplant and Endocrine Procedures--Brain and CNS: Is stem cell transplant coded as treatment for medulloblastoma? See Description.
The PDQ lists high-dose chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow rescue as treatment for children under three. A case of medulloblastoma that was treated with gross total resection of the tumor, followed by chemotherapy and autologous PBSC (peripheral blood stem cell) transplant.
A stem cell transplant does not fit the definition of "treatment" because it does not affect, control, change, remove or destroy proliferating cancer tissue. However, there is a place to code this procedure. Code stem cell transplant under Hematologic Transplant and Endocrine Procedures. Assign code 20 [Stem cell harvest].
Multiplicity Counter: Should this field be coded to 99 for cases of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)? See Discussion.
The MP/H rules state to abstract these cases as a single primary. The Type of Multiple Tumors Reported as One Primary field is coded as a single primary with a value of 32 (FAP with carcinoma), but the Multiplicity Counter seems to be unknown.
Assign code 99 [Multiple tumors present, unknown how many] for cases of FAP when the number of tumors is not stated.
MP/H Rules/Histology--Breast: Given that the current MP/H rules do not recognize specific types of lobular carcinoma, should the histology for an invasive pleomorphic lobular carcinoma be coded to 8022/3 [pleomorphic carcinoma] or 8520/3 [lobular carcinoma]? See Discussion.
The MP/H rules do not seem to recognize specific types lobular carcinomas. As invasive pleomorphic lobular carcinoma is "a very rare and distinct morphological variant of invasive lobular carcinoma," (ncbi.nim.nih.gov). Is this histology best reflected in code 8022/3 [pleomorphic carcinoma] or 8520/3 [lobular carcinoma]?
Code the histology to 8520/3 [lobular carcinoma].
The 4th Edition of the WHO Classification of Tumors of the Breast now describes five variants of invasive lobular carcinoma. These variants are solid type, alveolar, pleomorphic, tubulolobular, and mixed-type. WHO has not yet proposed new ICD-O codes be assigned to these variants. The upcoming solid tumor (MP/H) revisions will include instructions on coding these variants.
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