Report | Question ID | Question | Discussion | Answer | Year |
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20071025 | Radiation Therapy: How is radiation coded when it is "recommended" but the patient dies before radiation is started? See Discussion. | Code 0 seems appropriate but then we would lose the fact that it had been recommended. All of the other modalities give an option for 'recommended but patient died prior to treatment.' Is there a reason this option is not given for radiation? | Code Radiation (Rx Summ--Radiation) to 0 [None; diagnosed at autopsy].
SEER does not collect the Reason For No Radiation field. However, those who abstract using software that captures this data item can identify these cases. Code 5 [radiation not administered because patient died] reflects this situation.
Radiation (Rx Summ-Radiation) is a SEER field. This field is derived from the data collected in Rad-Boost Rx Modality and Rad-Regional TX Modality. These fields do not include a choice for "radiation not given because the patient died prior to treatment." Therefore, this information cannot be coded in the Radiation field. |
2007 |
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20071117 | MP/H Rules/Histology--Brain: How many primaries are reported and what is the histology for a single brain tumor described as a low grade astrocytoma at the time of the initial partial resection and a low grade glioneuronal neoplasm at the time of the subsequent total resection? See Discussion. | On 4/20/07 a partial resection of a brain tumor is interpreted as low grade astrocytoma. Patient has a gross total resection on 8/13/07 with this diagnosis: low grade glioneuronal neoplasm (see comment). Comment: This case has been reviewed at ---. Dr. agrees with our interpretation (low grade glioneuronal neoplasm, possibly a dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor). | For cases diagnosed 2007 or later, this is a single primary. A single tumor is always a single primary. Assign histology code 9400/3 [Astrocytoma, low grade]. This diagnosis was not revised or amended based on the later surgery. It is possible that the malignant component was entirely removed during the first surgery. |
2007 |
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20071077 | MP/H Rules/Multiple Primaries/Histology--Colon: How many primaries should be reported and how is the histology field(s) coded if the left colon contains two adenocarcinomas and one mucinous adenocarcinoma arising in a villous adenoma and each has a different level of invasion? See Discussion. | A patient had three tumors in the left colon including an 1) invasive well differentiated mucinous adenocarcinoma arising in tubulovillous adenoma with pericolonic subserosal fat invasion 8.5cm, 2) An infiltrative moderately differentiated colonic adenocarcinoma with invasion of muscularis propria 4cm and 3) an invasive moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma with invasion of muscularis propria, 1/69 nodes positive. The case was coded using rule M8 for one primary, but M10 contradicts; and H13 coding rule for histology 8263/3. | For cases diagnosed 2007 or later: Assuming that all tumors are in the left colon, there are three tumors:
Multiple Primary Determination In the colon MP rules go to the multiple tumors module. Start with M3. Stop at M7 and abstract as a single primary.
Histology Code Go to the histology coding rules, multiple tumors module, and start with H15. Stop at H20 which tells you to code the most invasive tumor. Tumor 1 is the most invasive according to the definition of most invasive in the 2007 SEER Manual, page C-271. Code 8263/3 [Adenocarcinoma in tubulovillous adenoma]. |
2007 |
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20071066 | Grade, Differentiation--Bladder: Can grade be coded from the pathology report for a recurrent bladder cancer specimen? See Discussion. | In 2006 a TURB was done for bladder carcinoma diagnosed 10 years ago. Is grade always coded 9 on class 3 cases unless the original slides were reviewed? | Code grade from the original tumor; do not code grade from recurrence. If the grade of the original primary tumor is specified, code it, regardless of class of case. |
2007 |
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20071038 | MP/H Rules/Histology--Brain and CNS: Is it generally correct that the code for PNET [9473/3] should be used to code tumors arising in the brain and spinal cord, and the code for pPNET [9364/3] should be used to code tumors arising in the bone and soft tissue? See Discussion. | The terms and definitions for "Brain" in the 2007 MP/H rules distinguish between pPNET and PNET. Is it correct even when the diagnostic terminology alone would lead to other coding, such as "PNET" used to diagnose a soft tissue mass in the chest and "neuroectodermal tumor" used to diagnose a brain mass? Should additional rules be added to both "Brain" and "Other Sites" to enforce this distinction? |
For cases diagnosed 2007 or later: Yes. Assign code 9473/3 for tumors arising in the brain and spinal cord and assign code 9364/3 for tumors arising in the bone and soft tissue. Clarification and reinforcement of this distinction will be added to the "Other sites" terms and definitions with the first revision to the MP/H rules. |
2007 |
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20071031 | Histology--Lymphoma: How is a "lymphocytic lymphoma of follicular center cell origin" coded? | For cases diagnosed prior to 1/1/2010:Assign code 9690 [Follicular lymphoma, NOS]. According to the WHO Classification of Lymphoid tumors, follicular lymphoma is a neoplasm of follicle center B cells which has at least a partially follicular pattern. Assign code 9695 for follicular lymphoma grade 1, 9691 for follicular lymphoma grade 2, and 9698 for follicular lymphoma grade 3. For cases diagnosed 1/1/10 and later, 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. |
2007 | |
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20071130 | Reportability--Brain and CNS: Are schwannomas of the spinal cord reportable when they are intradural? See Discussion. | The CNS guidelines basically indicate that schwannomas must all come from peripheral nerves and thus are not reportable when they are on the spinal cord. However, the COC Inquiry 18174 & 18068 states that schwannomas occasionally will develop inside the dura (intradural) on the spinal cord and would be reportable. | According to an expert consultant, schwannomas must be derived from Schwann cells which are not a part of the CNS. All schwannomas come from peripheral nerves. Benign and borderline tumors of the peripheral nerves (C47_), including peripheral nerves along the spinal cord, are not reportable. Please see http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/npcr/training/index.htm for more information. |
2007 |
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20071079 | MP/H Rules/Recurrence--Breast: Do we use a pathologists comment of "recurrent ductal carcinoma" found in the pathology report for a new specimen to determine whether the new specimen actually represents a new primary or recurrent disease? See Discussion. | The patient had a left breast cancer LIQ, ductal with DCIS. Nodes (-) diagnosed in 1998 Treatment: Lumpectomy-clear margins Refused radiation Hormone therapy: Tamoxifen
Present: June 2007 Left breast-invasive ductal ca, UOQ Pathology report comments: Recurrent ductal ca. Left axillary nodes (+) |
For cases diagnosed 2007 or later, apply the 2007 MP/H breast rules. Go to the multiple tumors module and begin with rule M4. Stop at rule M5: tumors diagnosed more than 5 years apart are multiple primaries. The only time you can accept a pathologist's statement of recurrence is when the statement is made based on a review of the slides from the previous diagnosis compared to the slides from the current diagnosis. |
2007 |
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20071029 | CS Lymph Nodes--Kidney, renal pelvis: Under what circumstances would code 80 [Lymph nodes, NOS] be used to document the presence of positive lymph nodes? See Discussion. | The CS Schema for Kidney (Renal Parenchyma) states to use code 70 for Regional Lymph Nodes, NOS. The schema for for Renal Pelvis states to use code 50 for Regional Lymph Nodes, NOS. Both schemas have a Code 80, for Lymph Nodes, NOS that maps to N1 in both schemas. | 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.Code 80 can be used for positive lymph nodes when you are unable to determine if they are regional or distant. CS Lymph Nodes code 80 is provided for this situation in accordance with the downstaging rule. Code 80 should be used very infrequently and only when there is no indication whether the involved lymph nodes are regional or distant. |
2007 |
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20071047 | Ambiguous Terminology: Why do the instructions for this field use the term "accession" rather than "abstract"? | The purpose of the new data item "Ambiguous Terminology" is to identify cases that were put into the cancer registry database without a conclusive diagnosis. The decision to accession the case was influenced by ambigous terminology. The emphasis is on accessioning the case rather than abstracting it. | 2007 |