System Guide
Back to Search Results

Search Results

Display Options
Display Options
Select Fields
Export Results to CSV Create Report 0
+ Add all results to report

Report Produced: 05/13/2026 06:17 AM

Report Question ID Question Discussion Answer Year
20130182 Primary site--Head and Neck: How is primary site coded if a floor of mouth biopsy reveals microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma but the definitive resection of the tongue and floor of mouth unifocal lesion reveals only in situ squamous cell cancer? See Discussion.

Patient with overlapping lesion of tongue and floor of mouth. Initial biopsy of floor of mouth reveals microinvasive squamous cell cancer. Definitive resection reveals in situ squamous cell cancer. Pathology report states unifocal tumor. The tumor site on pathology report is documented as involving the tongue and floor of mouth.

Should the primary site be coded to floor of mouth because it is the site of invasive disease? Or is primary site C148 [overlapping sites of lip, oral cavity and pharynx] because invasion should not be used to determine primary site?

Code the primary site to C068 [overlapping lesion of other and unspecified parts of the mouth]. Based on the information provided, this is a tumor described as a "book-leaf" lesion a lesion that overlaps the floor of the mouth and the underside of the tongue. 2013
20130093 MP/H Rules/Histology--Lung: What histology code is used for an adenocarcinoma in situ/bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) of the lung? See Discussion.

Classification of lung malignancies has undergone a change. The bronchioloalveolar carcinoma histology is being replaced by adenocarcinoma in situ and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma, using an evaluation of lepidic growth pattern in the tumor.

The final diagnosis is "adenocarcinoma in situ/BAC" and the comment states, "The findings in the current biopsy are most compatible with low grade malignant lesions which, in this sample, shows features of adenocarcinoma in situ (former bronchioloalveolar adenocarcinoma), given the proliferation of pneumocytes is limited to the alveolar lining with no evidence of invasion. However, classification of the lesion depends, per reference guidelines (Travis et al. J THOR ONCOL 2011 6,(2):244-275), on its size and its overall histologic features, to rule out the presence of an invasive component and therefore can only be performed upon examination of it in its entirety, upon resection." The radiation oncologist staged this T1N0M0, stage 1 BAC.

Code the histology to 8140/2 [adenocarcinoma in situ, NOS].

The comment for this case is consistent with information from the CAP protocol, which says, "The diagnosis of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma requires exclusion of stromal, vascular, and pleural invasiona requirement that demands the tumor be evaluated histologically in its entirety. It is therefore recommended that a definitive diagnosis of bronchioloalveolar adenocarcinoma not be made on specimens in which the tumor is incompletely represented."

This tumor was not completely resected. Therefore, code to adenocarcinoma in situ based on the information provided.

2013
20130181 Multiple Primaries--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: Should Rule M4 or the Heme DB be used to determine whether diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the large intestine and peripheral T-cell lymphoma of the bone marrow represents one or two primaries? See Discussion.

The Heme DB identifies these as new primaries:

10/12/12 Large intestine, biopsy: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

10/12/12 Bone marrow biopsy: Peripheral T-cell lymphoma.

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

Per Rule M15, accession two primaries. According to Rule M15, use the multiple primaries calculator to determine the number of primaries for all cases that do not meet the criteria of M1-M14. Per the calculator, this scenario represents two primaries.

Assuming the only area of involvement is the large intestine, code the histology to 9680/3 [diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma] and per Rule PH24 code the primary site to C189 [colon, NOS]. According to PH24, one is to code the primary site to the organ when lymphoma is present only in an organ.

Rule PH26 applies to the second primary. Assuming the only area of involvement is the bone marrow, code the histology to 9702/3 [peripheral T-cell lymphoma] and code the primary site to C421 [bone marrow]. According to PH26, one is to code the primary site to bone marrow (C421) when lymphoma is present only in the bone marrow.

Rule M4 does not apply for this case. Rule M4 applied when you have two or more types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the same anatomic location. That is not the case in this scenario.

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.

2013
20130137 Histology--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: How is the histology coded for follicular lymphoma, low grade? See Discussion. Pathologists seem to be moving away from identifying follicular B-cell lymphomas as grade 1, grade 2, etc. Instead, the term follicular lymphoma, low grade is being used. Should the histology be coded as follicular lymphoma, NOS even though the Heme DB indicates this code is usually used for death certificate cases?

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

Code the histology to 9690/3 [follicular lymphoma, NOS].

Low grade for follicular lymphoma are not listed in the Heme DB or Manual. Because low grade can mean grade 1 or grade 2, default to follicular lymphoma, NOS [9690/3].

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.

2013
20130119 Reportability--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: Would this case be reportable? Patient with a myelodysplastic syndrome secondary to a copper deficiency. Myelodysplastic syndrome is a reportable disease. Document in the text that the MDS was due to a copper deficiency. 2013
20120079 Reportability: Is positive urine cytology (ex: malignant cells interpreted as carcinoma) by itself reportable? If so, is the case coded to bladder by default or is is coded to C689, urinary system, NOS?

Urine cytology positive for malignancy is reportable. Code the primary site to C689 in the absence of any other information.

However, if a subsequent biopsy of a urinary site is negative, do not report the case.

For 2013 diagnoses and forward, report these cases when they are encountered. Do not implement new/additional casefinding methods to capture these cases.

As always, do not report cytology cases with ambiguous terminology.

2012
20120087

MP/H Rules/Histology--Kidney: How is the histology coded and what rule(s) apply for "cyst associated renal cell carcinoma," "cystic renal cell carcinoma," and "cystic renal cell carcinoma, clear cell type"? See Discussion.

 

Per SINQ 20031008, these histologies were all coded as 8316/3 [cyst associated renal cell carcinoma]. What are the correct codes for these histologies using the 2007 MP/H Rules?

 

For cases diagnosed 2007 or later, the correct histology code for both cyst associated renal cell carcinoma and cystic renal cell carcinoma is 8316/3. The histology code for cystic renal cell carcinoma, clear cell type is 8255/3.

The steps used to arrive at these decisions are:

 

Step 1: Open the Multiple Primary and Histology Coding Rules Manual. Choose one of the three formats (i.e., flowchart, matrix or text). Go to the Kidney Histology rules because site specific rules have been developed for this primary.

 

Step 2: For the first histology, cyst associated renal cell carcinoma, start at the SINGLE TUMOR module, Rule H1. The rules are intended to be reviewed in consecutive order within a module. Stop at Rule H5. According to this rule you are to use Table 1 if you have a renal cell carcinoma and mention of a more specific renal cell type. To locate Table 1, go to Kidney under the Terms & Definitions section. Per Table 1, titled Renal Cell Carcinomas and Specific Renal Cell Types, "cyst associated" is a specific type of renal cell carcinoma. Code the histology to 8316/3 [cyst associated renal cell carcinoma].

 

Step 3: For the second histology, cystic renal cell carcinoma start at the SINGLE TUMOR module, Rule H1. The rules are intended to be reviewed in consecutive order within a module. Stop at Rule H5. As in the previous example you are to use Table 1 if you have a renal cell carcinoma and mention of a more specific renal cell type. Per Table 1 "cystic" is a specific type of renal cell carcinoma. Code the histology to 8316/3 [cystic renal cell carcinoma].

 

Step 4: For the third histology, cystic renal cell carcinoma, clear cell type, start at the SINGLE TUMOR module, Rule H1. The rules are intended to be reviewed in consecutive order within a module. Stop at Rule H6 which states you are to code histology to 8255 (adenocarcinoma with mixed subtypes) when there are two or more specific renal cell carcinoma types. To determine whether "clear cell" and "cystic" are types of renal cell carcinoma use Table 1 again. According to Table 1, both cystic and clear cell are specific types of renal cell carcinoma. Code the histology as 8255/3 [adenocarcinoma with mixed subtypes].

 

2012
20120067 MP/H Rules/Histology--Thyroid: How is the histology coded for a poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma with rhabdoid phenotype arising in a papillary carcinoma?

For cases diagnosed 2007 or later, code the histology as papillary carcinoma, poorly differentiated [8260/33].

The WHO classification lists grade III papillary carcinoma as one of the synonyms for poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

The steps used to arrive at this decision are:

Open the Multiple Primary and Histology Coding Rules Manual. Choose one of the three formats (i.e., flowchart, matrix or text). Go to the Other Sites Histo rules because site specific rules have not been developed for this primary.

Start with the SINGLE TUMOR: INVASIVE ONLY module, rule H8. The rules are intended to be reviewed in consecutive order within a module. Per rule H13 "phenotype" is not a term used to code a more specific histology. Moving to Rule H14 the histology is coded 8260/3 [papillary adenocarcinoma].

2012
20120063 Reportability--Pancreas: Are neuroendocrine "tumors" reportable and are they synonymous with neuroendocrine "carcinoma"? See Discussion. Example: Pancreatic mass that probably represents a neuroendocrine tumor is staged as cT2N0M0.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NET) are malignant. They are reportable.

For pancreas primaries, code NET, G1 (well differentiated) to 8240/3; NET G2 (moderately differentiated) to 8249/3; and nonfunctional NET, GI or G2 to 8150/3.

The histology code for neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) is 8246/3, large cell NEC is 8013/3 and small cell NEC is 8041/3.

2012
20120004 Grade--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: How is grade coded for a malignant non-Hodgkin lymphoma, large B-cell type, with features consistent with T-cell rich variant?

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

Code grade to 6 [B-cell] for the histology malignant non-Hodgkin lymphoma, large B-cell type, with features consistent with T-cell rich variant [9680/3]. Under the Definition section for histology code 9680/3 it states there are morphologic variants of the disease: centroblastic, immunoblastic, plasmablastic, T-cell/histiocyte-rich, anaplastic.

Rule G3 in the Heme Manual confirms the grade listed in the Heme DB under its Grade section for the histology 9680/3. While the patient presented with a variant of DLBCL that is T-cell/histiocyte rich, it is still a B-cell phenotype. The grade is coded accordingly.

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