Chemotherapy: If a physician does not document the reason chemotherapy was given concurrently with radiation therapy, should it be assumed to have been used as a radiosensitizer or radioprotectant and then, per SEER chemotherapy coding instruction 2, ignore coding the chemo agent as treatment?
Do not assume that a chemo agent given with radiation therapy is a radiosensitizer. Seek additional information.
Compare the dose given to the dose normally given for treatment. When chemotherapeutic agents are used as radiosensitizers or radioprotectants, they are given at a much lower dose.
Histology (Pre-2007)--Breast: What code is used to represent histology for "invasive ductal carcinoma with squamous differentiation"? Is "squamous differentiation" synonymous with "squamous metaplasia"?
For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007:
Code the Histology field to 8570/3 [Adenocarcinoma with squamous metaplasia]. Our pathology consultant agrees that squamous metaplasia is synonymous with squamous differentiation.
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.
First Course Therapy/Surgery of Primary Site--Prostate: What is the correct surgical code for irreversible electroporation ablation of the prostate diagnosed in 2021?
Assign code 17 for irreversible electroporation ablation of the prostate when there is no tissue submitted to pathology for a 2021 or 2022 case.
Multiple primaries--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: How many primaries are to be accessioned when a patient was diagnosed in 2003 with malignant lymphoma, mixed cell type, follicular in the inguinal lymph nodes and was recently diagnosed with follicular lymphoma (by a neck lymph node biopsy) involving the neck and mediastinal lymph nodes?
This case should be accessioned as a single primary: malignant lymphoma, mixed cell type, follicular [9691/3] diagnosed in 2003. The following describes how this determination was made.
This case is one in which the terminology for follicular lymphoma has changed over time. In 2003, follicular lymphoma was classified as small cleaved cell, large cell, or mixed cell (both small cleaved and large cell). Those designations are no longer used. This disease process is currently classified as follicular lymphoma NOS, grade 1, grade 2 or grade 3. The change was simply a change in classification/terminology.
Appendix A, Table A3 (Obsolete Terms as Defined in ICD-O-3, Lymphoid Neoplasm Obsolete Terms) should be used to determine the current term when an obsolete term is known/given. Per the Table, "Mixed cell type follicular lymphoma" is currently known as "Follicular lymphoma, grade 2" and the correct histology code is 9691/3. This is the correct histology for the 2003 primary.
Per Rule M15, the histologies must be check in the Multiple Primaries Calculator to determine the number of primaries. Enter [follicular lymphoma, grade 2 (malignant lymphoma, mixed cell type, follicular)] for Histology Code 1 and [follicular lymphoma, NOS] for Histology Code 2. The result is "Same Primary." As a result, accession a single 2003 diagnosed primary with the histology follicular lymphoma, grade 2 [9691/3] when the patient is subsequently diagnosed with follicular lymphoma, NOS.
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.
Surgery of Primary Site--Prostate: What treatment code is used to represent prostate carcinoma treated with "high intensity focused ultrasound" (HIFU)?
For cases diagnosed 1998 and later:
Code the Surgery of Primary Site field to 17 [Other method of local tumor destruction]. HIFU uses focused energy to destroy tissue. It is classified as a surgical procedure.
CS Tumor Size/CS Site Specific Factor--Breast: How do you code the CS Tumor size and SSF6 fields for a breast cancer described as "Paget disease with underlying intraductal carcinoma (4cm x 3.2cm)"?
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.CS Tumor Size: Assign code 040 for tumor size and code SSF6 as 050 [Invasive and in situ components present, size of entire tumor coded in CS TS]. The size of the invasive component is not stated AND proportions of in situ and invasive are not known.
Reportability--Brain and CNS: Is Tuberculum sellae meningioma reportable? Is it same as sphenoidale meningioma?
Path: Brain tuberculum tumor resection: Meningioma, WHO grade I.
Revised answer based on ST rules
Yes, a Tuberculum sella meningioma is reportable if diagnosed 2004 or later. Code the primary site C700, cerebral meninges. It is a meningioma originating from the meninges of the Tuberculum sellae, which is part of the sphenoid bone.
Primary Site--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: What primary site code should be assigned and what rule justifies that code?
Scenario: Pleural effusion, underwent thoracentesis. Pleural fluid unexpectedly showed Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Extensive workup including CT & PET was done and all findings were within normal limits. No evidence of lymphoma was seen and no palpable adenopathy was found. The only indication of lymphoma was the malignant pleural effusion.
Code to pleura, C384.
Per the Hematopoietic database, Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma can originate in the pleural cavity.
MP/H Rules/Recurrence: Is a subsequent diagnosis of an in situ tumor (bladder cancers excluded) a "recurrence" if it follows a prior invasive diagnosis of the original primary cancer made 5 years before?
For cases diagnosed 2007 or later, use the 2007 MP/H rules to determine whether or not a subsequent diagnosis (either invasive or in situ) is a new primary or a recurrence. Do not use the statement "recurrence" from the medical record to make this decision.
When evaluating a subsequent diagnosis and the MP/H rules indicate "single primary," the tumor being evaluated is a "recurrence" of the original primary cancer.
Primary site--Breast: how is subsite coded for a breast cancer when it is described as central portion between 1-3:00 or central portion at 12:00?
See the SEER coding guidelines for breast, https://seer.cancer.gov/manuals/2018/AppendixC/Coding_Guidelines_Breast_2018.pdf Generally, codes C502 - C505 are preferred over C501. C501 would be preferred over C508. Apply these general guidelines when there is no other way to determine the subsite using the available medical documentation.
Table 1, Primary Site codes, in the breast solid tumor rules also provide helpful information for coding site.