SEER Inquiry System - Search

Code Primary Site for cases 1 and 2 above to C023 [Anterior 2/3 of tongue, NOS]. Code lateral tongue without mention of dorsal or ventral surface to C023 [Anterior 2/3 of tongue, NOS].

Code Primary Site for case 3 to C022 [Ventral surface of tongue]. The underside of the tongue is specified as the site of the biopsy in case 3.

Code 1, Positive histology, includes diagnostic hematologic findings and peripheral blood smears when these are the basis for diagnosis.

When the clinician makes a specific diagnosis and the blood work is not diagnostic, code diagnostic confirmation as 8 [Clinical diagnosis only]. The clinician is putting together all evidence, including the blood work and using his/her professional experience to diagnose the case.

Case 1. The diagnosis is not based on microscopic findings. Assign code 8 [Clinical diagnosis only]. Megakaryocytes are the immature form of thrombocytes, but mildly increased megakaryocytes are not diagnostic of essential thrombocythemia.

Case 2. The diagnosis is not based on microscopic findings. Assign code 8 [Clinical diagnosis only].

SEER agrees that these are reasonable assumptions based on the information provided.

Estimate the month and year of diagnosis using the available information. If the information is not sufficient to make an estimation on the month, code the month of diagnosis as "99." Avoid coding "unknown" for the year of diagnosis.

For cases diagnosed 2010 and forward, access the Hematopoietic Database at http://seer.cancer.gov/seertools/hemelymph.

Case 1: Accession two primaries per Rule M10 when a neoplasm is originally diagnosed as a chronic neoplasm AND there is a second diagnosis of an acute neoplasm more than 21 days after the chronic diagnosis. The histology for the first primary is 9699/3 [marginal zone lymphoma] represents a chronic neoplasm and the second primary is 9680/3 [diffuse large B-cell lymphoma] is an acute neoplasm which was diagnosed more than 21 days after the first primary.

Case 2: Do not use the Heme DB and Manual rules for this case. Both diagnoses were made prior to 2010. The Heme DB and Manual are only effective for cases diagnosed 1/1/2010 and forward. Use the ICD-O-3 Hematopoietic Primaries Table to determine the number of primaries for this case. Per the Table, a second diagnosis of DLBCL [9680/3] following a diagnosis of CLL/SLL [9823/3] is one primary.

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.

Code the primary site according to the physician's opinion. An ill-defined site code or an NOS code for the organ system is preferred over C809 [Unknown primary site] whenever possible. Code C809 only when there is not enough information to use an ill-defined or NOS code.

Case 1 and Case 2 - Assign code C249 [Biliary tract, NOS]. Based on the available information, the physicians believe these are most likely biliary primaries.

Case 3 - Assign code C189 [Colon]. According to the available information, the physician believes this is most likely a colon primary.

Assign code 40, Pull through WITH sphincter preservation (colo-anal anastomosis).  The National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms defines coloanal anastomosis as a surgical procedure in which the colon is attached to the anus after the rectum has been removed. It is also called coloanal pull-through.

For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007:

For example 1, code histology to 8582 [Thymoma, type AB]. This code is only applicable to "Type AB thymoma [mixed]" in the WHO classification. Use 8582 only for thymomas with type A and type B features. Spindle cell is a type A feature and epithelial is a type B3 feature.

For example 2, code histology to 8585 [Thymoma, type B3]. Lymphocytic is a B1 feature (8583) and epithelial is a B3 feature (8585). There is no type A component. Code the histology based on ICD-O-3 rule K on page 34.

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.

Assign histology code 8246/3 and assign code 9 for grade.

Since the primary is unknown and the type of NEC is not definitively stated, code neuroendocrine carcinoma, NOS based on the diagnosis.

Code grade from primary tumor only. Assign grade code 9 when the primary site is unknown. See instruction 2.b. in the Grade Coding Instructions for 2014+.

SINQ 20170033 and SINQ 20160023 provide instructions for coding the grade/differentiation field. Using these SINQ questions to code histology could lead to errors.

Contact the physician for clarification of the term "pancreatobiliary." If no further information can be obtained for this case, assign code C249 [Biliary tract, NOS] based on the CT findings for the specific case in this question.

When the primary is described as "pancreatobiliary" with NO FURTHER INFORMATION, assign C269.

For cases diagnosed 2010 and forward, access the Hematopoietic Database at http://seer.cancer.gov/seertools/hemelymph.

Code the oncologist's clinical diagnosis of peripheral T-cell lymphoma.

The definition for this neoplasm is "A large group of lymphomas which we collectively refer to as peripheral T-cell lymphomas with the optional addition of "unspecified" to emphasize that these cases do not belong to any better defined entities. Attempts to distinguish between them on morphological basis have met with poor reproducibility."

Per the Abstractor Notes in the Heme DB: Patients present with peripheral LN involvement. The diagnosis of PTCL, NOS is made ONLY when other specific entities have been explored.

This fits your case; attempts to find a more specific disease (flow cytometry; BM biopsy) were negative and gave no further information that could be used to assign a more specific classification.

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.