| Report | Question ID | Question | Discussion | Answer | Year |
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20220024 | Update to Current Manual/Residence at diagnosis: Would an exchange student be a temporary resident of the SEER area or a non-resident? See Discussion. |
A 17 year old exchange student was brought into the hospital with appendicitis. The patient had an appendectomy; there was no follow up treatment. 5/27/2006 pathology report of vermiform appendix: Adenocarcinoid appendix <5 mm tumor limited to appendix. The patient has no record in Lexis Nexus and no social security number. The address is a post office box; additionally, the patient’s birthplace is Switzerland and is lost to follow up. |
Code the residence where the student is living for exchange students temporarily living in the U.S. Code the temporary address if known or the Post Office Box if unknown. We will add this scenario to the next release of the SEER manual. |
2022 |
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20220007 | Histology: Is there any guidance on using STRATA Oncology testing (molecular tumor profiling tests), such as StrataNGS and StrataEXP, to code SSDIs, histology, etc? I do not see anything in STR, SEER Program Manual, SINQ, or CAnswerForum. We are seeing the testing with our 2021 paths. |
We recommend that you do not use information from these molecular tumor profiling tests until they become a standard diagnostic tool. If/when that happens, we will add information to the various manuals. |
2022 | |
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20220039 | Reportability/Histology--Eye: Is “squamous mucosa with high grade dysplasia” equivalent to a diagnosis of “high grade squamous dysplasia?” See Discussion. |
A conjunctival biopsy final diagnosis is squamous mucosa with moderate to high grade dysplasia. The diagnosis comment states that immunostains were performed and confirm squamous histology. This seems to imply a high grade squamous dysplasia, rather than a non-reportable high grade dysplasia. Does this case meet the criteria for reportable high grade squamous dysplasia? |
Squamous mucosa with high grade dysplasia is the same as high grade squamous dysplasia in the conjunctiva and is coded to 8077/2. |
2022 |
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20220016 | Histology--Thyroid: What is the correct histology code for a follicular carcinoma, minimally invasive, oncocytic variant of the thyroid? See Discussion. |
There is an ICD-O histology code for follicular carcinoma, minimally invasive (8335/3) as well as follicular carcinoma, oxyphilic cell (8290/3). Per SINQ 20150045, the term oncocytic is synonymous with oxyphilic in this context. The Multiple Primaries/Histology General Instructions and histology rules do not include the term “variant” as a term that can be used to code a further histologic subtype. The term “variant” can be used for the Other Sites (non-updated STR sites) when the ICD-O-3.2 (or ICD-O-3 for older cases) provides the term “variant” in the histology name. |
Code follicular carcinoma, minimally invasive, oncocytic variant of the thyroid to follicular carcinoma, oncocytic variant (8290/3). The term "variant" is commonly used in thyroid histologies and if appropriate, used to determine histology code. The WHO Classification of Tumors of Endocrine Organs, 4th edition, lists synonyms for 8290/3 as Hürthle cell carcinoma; oncoycytic carcinoma; oxyphilic carcinoma; follicular carcinoma, Hürthle cell type; and follicular carcinoma, oncocytic variant. |
2022 |
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20220028 | Reportability/EOD Primary Tumor--Ovary: Bilateral ovary shows gonadoblastoma with germ cell neoplasia in situ (9064/2). Pathology report clearly states in situ. Is this case reportable? If this case is reportable, how would you code Extent of Disease (EOD) Primary Tumor and SEER Summary Stage (SS)? In situ code 000 for primary tumor and code 0 for SS 2018 is not given as an option. |
Report germ cell neoplasia in situ (9064/2). Assign 999 for EOD Primary Tumor and assign 9 for SS2018. This particular histology is in the Soft Tissue Abdomen and Thoracic schema where EOD PT 000 and SS2018 0 are not available. This histology will be moved to the Ovary schema after redefining certain schemas and thus making the more accurate choices for EOD and SS2018 available. The schema redefine is planned for 2024 implementation. |
2022 | |
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20220049 | Solid Tumor Rules/Multiple Primaries--Lung: How many cases should be abstracted for a patient with 2022 wedge biopsy of right upper lobe acinar predominant lung adenocarcinoma and wedge biopsy of right lower lobe lepidic predominant adenocarcinoma if there is concern for diffuse spread throughout the lungs secondary to the lymphangitic carcinomatosis and possible diffuse pneumonic type of adenocarcinoma? See Discussion. |
Acinar predominant adenocarcinoma measures at least 12 mm and involves wedge biopsy margins, while the lepidic predominant adenocarcinoma measures 11 mm and does not involve the margins of that separate specimen. Pathologist also notes, “CT findings of diffuse coarse reticular nodular opacity, these findings may represent pneumonic type adenocarcinoma/diffuse pulmonary involvement or intrapulmonary metastasis. Both of these scenarios have the corresponding stages of pT4 (if thought to be ipsilateral) or M1a (if thought to also involve the contralateral lobe).” Patient declined any further treatment and transitioned to hospice before expiring less than 1 month after wedge biopsies. It is unclear if Rule M6 would apply to these two specimens with different subtypes since this scenario is not specifically addressed in the M rule definitions. |
Abstract two separate primaries when separate/non-contiguous tumors are two or more different subtypes/variants in Column 3 of Table 3 using Rule M6 in the Solid Tumor Rules (September 2021 Update). They represent two subtypes/variants of the same NOS histology. When coding histology, tissue from pathology takes precedence over imaging, including when stated as differential diagnoses based on the CT scan, as noted by the pathologist in this example. |
2022 |
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20220037 | Histology--Brain and CNS: What is the histology code of a primary papillary epithelial tumor of the sella (PPETS)? See Discussion. |
The pathology report states this is a rare entity described in case reports and not incorporated into the WHO classification of tumors. A subsequent endocrinology note stated “papillary tumor, benign by path; tumor was not an adenoma; based on one Mayo study, the recurrence risk is low.” |
Assign code 8000/0. This is an emerging histology and not yet recognized by the World Health Organization. Document the details in text fields. It might also be useful to document this SINQ question in text. |
2022 |
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20220032 | Reportability/Histology--Testis: Is micropapillary serous borderline tumor reportable? Pathology states Testis (C621) radical orchiectomy: Micropapillary serous borderline tumor. |
We consulted an expert genitourinary pathologist who advises that micropapillary serous borderline tumor of the testis is reportable. He states "it is the same neoplasm as in the ovary. It arises from tissue (tunica vaginalis) surrounding the testis so is a paratesticular neoplasm." Please note: not all borderline tumors are reportable and this diagnosis is an exception because it is assigned /2 in ICD-O-3.2. It is reportable for cases diagnosed Jan 1, 2021 and later. |
2022 | |
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20220030 | Histology--Lung: Is it acceptable to code histology as 8042/3 for a 2020 lung primary when the pathology report states only "oat cell carcinoma?" See Discussion. |
In the old 2007 Multiple Primaries/Histology rules, Lung Equivalent Terms and Definitions section, oat cell carcinoma (8042) was listed as one of the obsolete terms that was no longer recognized for small cell carcinoma. That note is not in the current 2018 Solid Tumor Manual lung chapter, and ICDO-3.2 lists oat cell carcinoma as the preferred term for code 8042/3. Would rule H4, Note 2 apply -- only one histology present, if not listed in Table 3 use ICD-O and all updates, to code oat cell carcinoma as 8042/3? |
While oat cell carcinoma is an outdated term, if that is all the pathology report states, code histology as 8042/3. Yes, Rule H4 applies: the diagnosis was a single histology. H4 instructs you to refer to the solid tumor H table, and if the term is not found there, check ICD-O and ICD-O updates. All possible histologic types that could occur in the lung may not be included in the table. |
2022 |
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20220036 | Solid Tumors Rules/Histology--Head and Neck: How is histology coded for head and neck primaries when a tumor is diagnosed as an invasive squamous cell carcinoma with multiple subtypes? See Discussion. |
Example Case 1: 2022 mobile tongue tumor biopsy shows squamous cell carcinoma, basaloid non-keratinizing type. Example Case 2: 2022 base of tongue mass biopsy shows squamous cell carcinoma, basaloid non-keratinizing type, p16 positive. Table 5, Note 2 (Head and Neck Equivalent Terms and Definitions) instructs us to code non-keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma which is p16 positive to 8085 (Squamous cell carcinoma HPV-positive), ignoring the non-keratinizing subtype. Does p16 or HPV positivity also take priority over multiple subtypes (basaloid non-keratinizing type)? |
Assign 8083/3, basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC), in both examples. It is more important to capture the variant than to code 8085 or 8086. WHO Classification of Head and Neck Tumors, 5th ed., states that BSCC is a distinctive form of SCC, characterized by prominent basaloid morphology, squamous differentiation, and aggressive behavior. Some primary sites capture p16 status as a Site Specific Data Item; you may record the p16 results when that is the case. |
2022 |
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