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Report Produced: 12/16/2025 07:19 AM

Report Question ID Question Discussion Answer Year
20100026 Multiplicity Counter--Kidney, Renal Pelvis: How many times is this field updated after an invasive primary is originally diagnosed? Should subsequently diagnosed in situ tumors to be included in this field? See Discussion. How should the Multiplicity Counter be coded when a patient has a renal pelvis primary [C659] diagnosed 1/23/08. The patient had one tumor, invasive grade 3 of 3 papillary urothelial carcinoma arising in the depth of a calyx in mid portion of kidney. In 6/1/09, a TURBT showed three separate high grade urothelial carcinoma in-situ lesions on the right side of the bladder, the largest tumor being 7mm. In 2/8/10, another TURBT showed one lesion on the left side of bladder, high grade urothelial carcinoma in-situ, tumor was 4mm. These are all a single primary per rule M8.

Code multiplicity counter 04. Count both invasive and in situ tumors.

Multiplicity counter would have been coded 01 in 2008. Add the three in situ tumors diagnosed in 2009 to the first tumor and update multiplicity counter to 04. Make only one update to multiplicity counter. Because the multiplicity counter was updated once, the fifth tumor diagnosed in 2010 does not need to be added.

2010
20081028 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]. 2008
20091061 Multiplicity Counter--Head & Neck: How is this field coded when a patient has carcinoma in the same location as a previous primary but it is unknown if there was a disease-free interval? See Discussion. Patient was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, single tumor of the right true vocal cord in May 2008. Tumor was treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Excision of right vocal cord mass in February 2009 shows squamous cell carcinoma. Assign code 01 [one tumor only] for the example provided (see discussion). Given the information provided, there is no reason to suspect that the February 2009 diagnosis represents new tumor; therefore, it does not affect the multiplicity counter. It appears that this was the treatment plan for the original diagnosis in May 2008: radiation and chemo followed by excision of the mass. 2009
20071127 Multiplicity Counter--Breast: How should the multiplicity counter be coded for a 3.8 cm infiltrating duct carcinoma with two "satellite nodules" measuring 5 mm and 7mm that are not described as either metastases or multiple foci? Include these nodules in the multiplicity counter because they are measured and are part of the final diagnosis on the pathology report. 2007
20120001 Multiple primaries/Recurrence--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: How many primaries are abstracted if a patient was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in 2001 and was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma involving the larynx in 2011? See Discussion. Does the medical oncologist's statement that this is a second malignancy, rather than a recurrence, given the length of the disease-free interval, affect the number of primaries abstracted?

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

Abstract a single primary per Rule M2; a single histology is a single primary diagnosed. The histology code for both the 2001 and 2011 diagnoses is 9680/3[diffuse large B-cell lymphoma]. Case is coded as diagnosed in 2001.

The hematopoietic physician experts say that the issue with lymphomas is that the patient may be disease-free then recur years later. Even though years have passed, this is still a recurrence or relapse. Currently, there are no molecular markers that are able to distinguish "new primaries" from recurrences. There are also no established criteria for timing rules that could be used to determine a new primary from a recurrence.

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.

2012
20100086 Multiple primaries/Primary site/Histology--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: How many primaries are accessioned when a patient is diagnosed with mycosis fungoides in February 2010 and in May 2010 is diagnosed with peripheral T-cell lymphoma consistent with CD 30+ large cell transformation of mycosis fungoides? See Discussion Patient was diagnosed with mycosis fungoides on 2/10/2010. On 5/11/2010 the patient underwent lymph node biopsies lymph nodes that were diagnosed as peripheral Tcell lymphoma consistent with CD 30+ large cell transformation of mycosis fungoides. There is no data on the ALK protein.

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

Accession two primaries per Rule M15 which instructs you to use the Multiple Primaries Calculator to determine the number of reportable primaries. The result is that mycosis fungoides [9700/3] and peripheral T-cell lymphoma [9702/3] represents two primaries.

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.

 2010
20130050 Multiple Primaries/Primary site/Histology--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: How many primaries are accessioned and what is the primary site and histology for each if a 6/12/12 left shoulder mass specimen suspicious for large B-cell lymphoma is followed on 7/10/12 with three skin nodules excised from the back with a diagnosis of "composite lymphoma? See Discussion.

6/12/12 Excisional biopsy left shoulder soft tissue mass: Suspicious for large B-cell lymphoma.

7/10/12 Excisional biopsy three skin nodules of back: "Composite lymphoma" - primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (CD3 pos, CD4 pos, CD30 pos, ALK neg with partial loss of CD5) and CONCURRENT cutaneous follicular center lymphoma (CD20 pos, PAX5 pos, BCL-6 pos, partially CD10 pos) and flow cytometry revealed results compatible with involvement by a lymphoproliferative disorder of T-cell lineage.

Per imaging performed, there was no involvement of lymph nodes or other organs.

Is the primary site C449 Skin, NOS and histology 9718/3 [Lymphoma, primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell] be correct?

Code primary site to C445 [skin, back] and histology to 9718/3 [cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma] .

Per Rule M6, abstract a single primary when two or more types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma are simultaneously present in the same anatomic location. For this case, there is cutaneous follicular (follicle) center lymphoma (9597/3) and cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (9718/3).

Per Rule PH22, code the primary site to the site or origin (skin, back) and the histology to the NHL with the numerically highest ICD-O-3 code. In this case, that would be 9718/3.

2013
20110039 Multiple primaries/Primary site--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: What are the primary sites and how many primaries are abstracted, when 2004 diagnosis of grade 2 follicular lymphoma of the bilateral breasts is subsequently diagnosed with a 2010 diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (40%) and grade 3a follicular lymphoma (60%) of a left arm nodule? See Discussion.

Follicular lymphoma was diagnosed 7/2004, grade 2 per biopsy of the bilateral breasts. Bone marrow biopsy was positive for lymphoma involving 10% of bone marrow. Imaging showed extensive lymphadenopathy mainly in abdomen/pelvis with an 8 cm mass in the right pelvis. Smaller lymph nodes were noted in the left periaortic region and also some small precarinal lymph nodes. This was a stage IVA lymphoma. The patient had six cycles of CHOP/R with an excellent response. Per the clinician's notes on 12/2005, there was no evidence of recurrence or no sign of active disease. The plan was to follow up with the patient in 6 months.

08/22/06 imaging showed new disease in the bilateral chest wall. 8/2006 bilateral breast nodule biopsies, are positive for grade 1-2 follicular lymphoma. The patient was treated with Rituxan. Per clinician's 3/2007 note, no active disease is noted. Patient was regularly followed with no evidence of disease until 10/2010. At that time, the patient had a left arm nodule biopsy which was positive for diffuse large B cell lymphoma (40%) CD positive and grade 3a follicular lymphoma (60%). RICE was recommended due to "transformation" per oncologist.

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

Per Rule M10, this case should be accessioned as two primaries when a neoplasm is originally diagnosed as a chronic neoplasm (is follicular lymphoma (FL), grade 2) AND there is a second diagnosis of an acute neoplasm (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) more than 21 days after the chronic diagnosis.

Code the histology for the first primary to 9691/3 [follicular lymphoma (FL), grade 2] and the primary site to bilateral C509 [breast, NOS]. FL can start as an extranodal disease; breast is one of the sites in which it originates. It is unlikely that the lymphoma extended from the nodes to the breast, but highly likely that it extended from the breast to the nodes.

Per Rule M4, abstract the 2010 disease process as a single primary when two or more types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma are simultaneously present in the same anatomic location(s), such as the same lymph node or lymph node region(s), the same organ(s), and/or the same tissue(s). Per Rule PH11 the primary site is coded to C779 [lymph nodes, NOS] and the histology is coded to 9680/3 [diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)]. Rule PH11 states one is to code the primary site to the site of origin, lymph node(s), lymph node region(s), tissue(s) or organ(s) and histology to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (9680/3) when DLBCL and any other non-Hodgkin lymphoma are present in the same lymph node(s), lymph node region(s), organ(s), tissue(s) or bone marrow.

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.

2011
20021061 Multiple Primaries/Histology--Mycosis Fungoides/Cutaneous T cell Lymphoma: Physicians often use the terms cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) and mycosis fungoides interchangeably and yet the SEER Single versus Subsequent Primaries of Lymphatic and Hematopoietic Diseases table indicates that these 2 diagnoses represent separate primaries. Do these cases represent one primary? If so, what histologic type should they be coded to?

For cases diagnosed prior to 1/1/2010:The patient does not have two different malignancies. Code the Histology field to 9700/3 [mycosis fungoides], the specific type of cutaneous T cell lymphoma. Mycosis fungoides is one of several types of cutaneous T cell lymphoma. Physicians often refer to mycosis fungoides by the "umbrella term" cutaneous T cell lymphoma.

The table indicates that the broad category of "T/NK-cell NHL" (which includes CTCL) and mycosis fungoides are presumably separate primaries because several entities are included in that broad category. In the specific case cited above, one entity (CTCL) within the broad category (T/NK-cell NHL) and mycosis fungoides are not separate primaries.

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.

 2002
20021158 Multiple Primaries/Histology--Lymphoma: What is the primary site(s) for a patient who had a lymph node biopsy with the histology of "large B cell lymphoma arising in the setting of low grade B cell lymphoma c/w marginal zone B cell lymphoma with plasmacytic features"? See discussion. This patient also had a bone marrow biopsy that demonstrated "low grade B cell lymphoma." Per the clinician, "Pt with discordant lymphoma. We will be approaching his lymphoma as two different diseases. The large B cell had cleared after chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The low grade lymphoma is incurable."

For cases diagnosed prior to 1/1/2010:

Code as two primaries with each arising in lymph nodes [C77._]. The histology for the first primary is 9699/3 [marginal zone B cell lymphoma]. The histology for the second primary is 9680/3 [large B cell lymphoma].

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.

 2002