Primary Site--Hematopoietic, NOS: Are there any guidelines for the use of topography code C420 [blood] rather than C421 [bone marrow], or C424 [Hematopoietic system, NOS] for hematopoietic diseases other than Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia?
For cases diagnosed prior to 1/1/2010:There are no specific guidelines concerning code C420 versus C421 or C424, other than the suggested topography codes in ICD-O-3 (see Rule H). The Hematopoietic task force is in the early phases of developing guidelines for these diseases. This issue will be presented to the task force for their consideration.
For cases diagnosed 2010 forward, 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.
Surgery of Primary Site--Brain and CNS: How is this field to be coded when a patient undergoes stereotactic biopsy of a brain tumor? Path specimen consists of four fragments of tissue measuring .7, .6 and .3 cm.
Assign code 20 [Local excision (biopsy) of lesion or mass. Specimen sent to pathology from surgical event 20].
Primary site: Is there a physician priority list for coding primary site? For example, the surgeon states during a pancreatectomy that the primary is in body while the pathologist states in their synopitc report that primary is neck; neither is in agreement, or neither is available for confirmation.
As a general rule, the surgeon is usually in a better position to determine the site of origin compared to the pathologist. The surgeon sees the tumor in its anatomic location, while the pathologist is often using information given to him/her by the surgeon and looking at a specimen removed from the anatomic landmarks. However, when a pathologist is looking at an entire organ, such as the pancreas, he/she may be able to pinpoint the site of origin within that organ.
In the case of pancreas body vs. neck, the neck is a thin section of the pancreas located between the head and the body. It may be a matter of opinion whether a tumor is located in the "body" vs. the "neck." In the situation you describe, we would give preference to the surgeon and assign the code for body of pancreas, C251.
Immunotherapy/Other
Therapy--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: Is the elimination of immunosuppression
treatment coded as other treatment? An example is when a post-transplant
patient develops a malignant myeloproliferative neoplasm that subsides when
immunosuppression drugs are stopped.
Do not code as a treatment. Record the cessation of
immunosuppressive drug treatment in text to explain the patient’s change in
disease status.
No. Per Appendix F, erythrocytosis of an unknown cause is not reportable.
The diagnosis must state "erythrocytosis megalosplenic" to be reportable (9950/3).
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.
The diagnosis of "myelodysplasia" is not reportable.
Myelodysplasia covers a group of disorders that result in the inability to produce enough healthy mature blood cells. Those disorders include: anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, MDS, refractory anemia, refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation, refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts, refractory anemia with excess blasts, chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia. Follow-back to the physician is necessary to determine whether or not a particular case represents a malignancy.
"Myelodysplasia" is also listed in Appendix F: Non-Reportable List for Hematopoietic Diseases.
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.
Reportability--Brain and CNS: Is benign neural tissue compatible with a glioneuronal hamartoma of the cerebellopontine angle reportable?
No. A glioneuronal hamartoma is not neoplastic and not reportable. See page 2 of the 2004 SEER Program Coding and Staging manual for the list of reportable brain/CNS tumors. There is no ICD-O-3 code for hamartoma.
MP/H Rules/Histology--Brain and CNS: What is the code for an embryonal tumor with multilayered rosettes. WHO shows the code as 9478/3, but this code is not available for use in the United States.
Assign ICD-O-3 code 9392/3 until code 9478/3 is implemented in 2018. Per our expert neuropathologist, embryonal tumor with multilayered rosettes was previously called ependymoblastoma.
Diagnostic confirmation: When a CT guided Fine Needle Aspiration is performed and the pathology report indicates smears and cell block were prepared, if the diagnosis is positive for cancer, can you code diagnostic confirmation as 2 (positive cytology) because of the cell block?
Yes, assign diagnostic confirmation code 2 for diagnosis based on smears and cell block from CT guided FNA. This reply pertains to solid tumors.
First-Course of Cancer-Directed Therapy Fields/Hematopoietic, NOS: How do you code treatment for a myelodysplastic syndrome when a patient is admitted to receive a "second transfusion 7 months after diagnosis"?
The first course of treatment for these hematopoietic primaries lasts until there is a treatment change. For the case you cite the second transfusion (7 months after diagnosis) would be first course treatment. Code the Other Cancer-Directed Therapy Field to 1 [Other cancer-directed therapy].
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