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20250002 | Reportability/Histology--Soft Tissue: Is superficial CD34 positive fibroblastic tumor reportable and if so what histology code should be used? See Discussion. | Patient had a left thigh soft tissue mass excision on 7/24/24 and was diagnosed with superficial CD34 positive fibroblastic tumor. Margins were narrowly free of disease. Tumor size was 5.5 cm x 4.4 cm x 3.9 cm. The diagnosis was confirmed. |
Do not report superficial CD34-positive fibroblastic tumor (8810/1) of the thigh. WHO Classification of Soft Tissue and Bone Tumors, 5th ed., defines superficial CD34-positive fibroblastic tumor as a distinctive low-grade neoplasm of the skin and subcutis, most frequently occurring in the lower extremities, especially thigh, followed by arm, buttock, shoulder, and rarely, vulva. |
2025 |
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20250028 | 2025 SEER Manual/Primary Site--Lymph Nodes: How is Primary Site coded when lymphangioleiomyomatosis is incidentally diagnosed in pelvic lymph nodes on a resection for an unrelated reason? See Discussion. |
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) became reportable (9174/3) for diagnoses 2023 and later. While this neoplasm was only added to the Lung schema in the Solid Tumor Rules manual, this is a mesenchymal neoplasm which may arise outside of the lung and the reportability change was not limited to LAM of the lung. How should primary site be coded when a left pelvic lymph node dissection for an unrelated high-grade serous carcinoma of the right fallopian tube incidentally proved LAM in the pelvic lymph nodes? The pelvic lymph nodes were the only site of involvement; there was no evidence of lung involvement. As this is a mesenchymal tumor, should the primary site default to C499 (Soft tissue, NOS) according to the default primary site rule for sarcomas described in the SEER Manual? Or should the primary site be coded to C775 (Pelvic lymph nodes) as this was the only proven site of involvement? |
Code the primary site to pelvic lymph nodes (C775) as it is the only site involved with this extrapulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (E-LAM). |
2025 |
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20250020 | Solid Tumor Rules/Histology--Vulva: Can instructions and descriptions from registry manuals be used to determine p16 status for the human papillomavirus (HPV)-related histology codes in the Solid Tumor Rules (STR)? Does it have to state that p16 is “positive” or “over-expressed” only? See Discussion. |
The STR states that p16 can be used to code HPV-associated and HPV-independent histologies for selected sites depending on diagnosis year but contains no instructions about how to interpret p16 staining results on pathology reports. These are often stated in various ways in our area, depending on the pathology lab and different pathologists. The SSDI Manual and SEER Coding and Staging Manual each have some instructions and code definitions for p16, including: - Code 0 for p16 expression of weak intensity or limited distribution - Code 0: p16 Negative; Nonreactive - Code 1: p16 Positive; Diffuse, Strong reactivity - IHC for p16 expression is a surrogate marker for HPV infection Example: 2023 squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva, partial vulvectomy; pathology states vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia-3, p16 immunohistochemistry demonstrates block-like expression, which supports the diagnosis. The next path report states invasive squamous cell carcinoma, stain for p16 is strong and diffuse in the lesion, supporting the above diagnosis. Neither path report specifically states "HPV-related," so are p16 "expression" and "strong and diffuse" staining enough to code the histology as 8085/3 for this case? |
Refer to the College of American Pathologists (CAP) protocols to determine how to interpret p16 staining results on pathology reports. Per the Vulva CAP Protocol, p16 positive is defined as diffuse or block-like expression. Since the pathology report states "block-like expression," code the histology as 8085/3 (invasive squamous cell carcinoma, HPV-associated). |
2025 |
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20250009 | Sequence Number--Central/Reportability--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: Is a hematolymphoid disease included in the sequencing if it was not reportable at the time of diagnosis? |
Do not include the disease in the sequencing if the original hematolymphoid disease was not reportable at time of diagnosis.
The 2025 SEER Manual Sequence Number--Central Coding Instruction 1.a advises: A ‘reportable’ primary refers to the site/histology/behavior of the tumor and the years when reporting was required. Review of the reportability requirements in effect during the diagnosis year will be needed. |
2025 | |
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20250023 | First Course Treatment/Hormone Therapy--Multiple Myeloma: How is dexamethasone coded when given for multiple myeloma? See Discussion. |
The treatment regimen consisting of carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (KRd) in SEER*Rx says not to code dexamethasone. I have a patient with multiple myeloma who received the KRd protocol in 2018 and the treatment regimen consisting of carfilzomib, daratumumab, and dexamethasone (KdD) (not in SEER Rx) in 2025. SEER RX says to code dexamethasone when it is given for multiple myeloma but also not to code dexamethasone when given as part of the KRd regimen (which is for multiple myeloma). I can follow the KRd instructions if that is what should take priority, but then would I code dexamethasone for the KdD regimen? KdD is not in SEER*Rx and it seems counterintuitive to code it for KdD and not for KRd. |
Code dexamethasone in KRd regimen (and any other regimen for multiple myeloma containing dexamethasone) as hormonal therapy. Please note that majority of the regimens for multiple myeloma are not in SEER*Rx currently. The SEER*Rx entry for KRd regimen was updated to indicate that dexamethasone should be coded. The change was done to correct the contradiction with the SEER manual which states, "Code the hormonal agent given as part of combination chemotherapy (e.g., R-CHOP), whether it affects the cancer cells or not" and the SEER*Rx entry for dexamethasone which directs to code it for multiple myeloma. |
2025 |
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20250007 | Reportability/Behavior: Our registry collects some borderline (behavior /1) cases that are not reportable to SEER or any other standard setters. Can we assign a behavior code of /2 to these cases? |
Do not assign a behavior code of /2 to these cases unless you have a way to flag them so that they are not reported to the standard setters as in situ cases. Work with your state central registry to ensure that these cases are not unintentionally included in state case submission. |
2025 | |
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20250029 | EOD 2018/EOD Regional Nodes--Oropharynx: Is code 550 missing “< equal to 6 cm” in the data item EOD Regional Nodes for Oropharynx HPV-Associated, Version 9? Otherwise, bilateral or contralateral lymph nodes with extranodal extension (ENE) that are >6 cm could fit into 550 OR 650. |
Code 550 is missing “< equal to 6 cm.” In addition, code 650 should include ipsilateral lymph nodes as well. Revised codes: Code 550 CLINICAL ASSESSMENT only Bilateral or contralateral lymph nodes, < equal to 6 cm WITH clinical evidence of ENE Code 650 CLINICAL ASSESSMENT only Ipsilateral, Bilateral or Contralateral lymph nodes > 6 cm WITH or WITHOUT clinical evidence of ENE These changes will be implemented in Version 3.4 (October 2026). We apologize for the error. |
2025 | |
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20250017 | SEER Manual/First Course Therapy--Neoadjuvant Therapy: How is Neoadjuvant Therapy--Treatment Effect coded for bladder cancers? The College of American Pathologists (CAP) Protocol for the Examination of Cystectomy Specimens From Patients With Carcinoma of the Urinary Bladder does not provide a clear distinction between the SEER site-specific codes for Neoadjuvant Therapy Treatment Effect for All Other Schemas, codes 2, 3, and 4, as compared to the CAP Treatment Effect Post Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy (BCG not included) categories. See Discussion. |
CAP Protocol for the Examination of Cystectomy Specimens From Patients With Carcinoma of the Urinary Bladder/Treatment Effect Post Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy (BCG not included) selections o No known presurgical neoadjuvant therapy o Complete response: Absence of histologically identifiable residual cancer cells and extensive fibrosis of the tumor bed after presurgical neoadjuvant therapy (TRG1) o Strong response: Predominant fibrosis of the tumor bed, with residual cancer cells occupying less than 50% of this area (TRG2) o Weak or no response: Residual cancer cells occupying ≥50% of the tumor bed or absence of regressive changes (TRG3) o Other (specify): _________________ SEER Coding Instruction for Site-Specific Codes for Neoadjuvant Therapy Treatment Effect - Schemas: All Other Schemas selections 0 Neoadjuvant therapy not given/no known presurgical therapy 1 Complete pathological response Present: No viable cancer cells/no residual invasive carcinoma identified Residual in situ carcinoma only 2 Near complete pathological response Present: Single cells or rare small groups of invasive cancer cells 3 Partial or minimal pathological response Present: Residual invasive cancer with evident tumor regression, but more than single cells or rare small groups of cancer cells 4 Poor or no pathological response Absent: Extensive residual cancer with no evident tumor regression 6 Neoadjuvant therapy completed and surgical resection performed, response not documented or unknown Cannot be determined 7 Neoadjuvant therapy completed and planned surgical resection not performed 9 Unknown if neoadjuvant therapy performed Unknown if planned surgical procedure performed after completion of neoadjuvant therapy
Death Certificate only (DCO) |
Code Neoadjuvant Therapy--Treatment Effect using the surgical pathology report only. Carefully review the pathology report gross description and comments to assist with assignment of codes. Review of neoadjuvant therapy data items is currently underway. |
2025 |
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20250021 | Reportability--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: Is a diagnosis of smoldering Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) reportable? See Discussion. |
The bone marrow was involved by lambda-restricted atypical B-cell and plasma cell populations with MYD88 mutation. Together these populations represent 10-15% of the bone marrow cellularity. While the bone marrow biopsy pathology alone did not provide a reportable diagnosis, the oncologist clinically diagnosed this as smoldering WM in the medical record. Is a diagnosis of smoldering WM similar to a diagnosis of smoldering multiple myeloma (MM), a reportable Heme neoplasm, since smoldering neoplasms may be considered to meet the neoplasm’s threshold in the bone marrow but is otherwise asymptomatic? |
Report smoldering WM (9761/3) using the Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Neoplasms Manual and Database (Table B9). Smoldering WM is defined as a poorly described asymptomatic disorder with a high risk of progressing to symptomatic WM requiring treatment. The term “smoldering” refers to the process meaning it is progressing, perhaps slowly, or even at a slower pace than might be expected. Smoldering WM resembles smoldering MM. |
2025 |
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20250016 | Reportability--Head & Neck: Are high-grade squamous dysplasia / “severe” squamous dysplasia or glandular intraepithelial neoplasia reportable for all Head & Neck subsites? If so, what year did they become reportable? In reviewing SINQ 20240003, 20230047, and 20230046, it appears that at least the larynx, mandible, and tongue have been reportable since 2021. However, 8077/2 and 8148/2 histology codes are not included in the Solid Tumor Rules (STRs) (2025 update) for Head and Neck, either in Tables 1-9 or the H Rules. |
High grade squamous dysplasia (8077/2) is reportable for head and neck sites for cases diagnosed as of 01/01/2021. High grade glandular intraepithelial neoplasia / glandular intraepithelial neoplasia grade III (8148/2) and high grade squamous intraepithelial neoplasia / squamous intraepithelial neoplasia grade III (8077/2) are reportable for head and neck sites for cases diagnosed as of 01/01/2001. Refer to other standard setters’ criteria for reportability as appropriate. |
2025 |
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