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Report Produced: 02/14/2026 12:02 PM

Report Question ID Question Discussion Answer Year
20150065

First course treatment/Chemotherapy/Drug category: Instructions in SEER*Rx state that Ibrance should be coded as chemotherapy. They also state that it is an endocrine-based therapy. Local physicians refer to Ibrance as hormone therapy. Please clarify.

For cancer registry data collection, follow the instructions in SEER*Rx. It is important for all data collection to be consistent for reporting of cancer information.

Per the FDA: Ibrance is a chemotheraputic agent which was approved for use WITH Letrozole. Letrozole is a hormonal drug which may be why the physicians are stating the patient is receiving hormones. Ibrance should not be given alone to treat breast cancer. This drug will not be changing categories in SEER*Rx.

2015
20150033

MP/H/Histology--Lung: Would you code a lung primary of "non-small cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation" to non-small cell carcinoma (8046/3) or carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation (8574/3)? See discussion.

The pathology report states "Right mediastinal mass: poorly differentiated non-small cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation." This is the only histologic confirmation of this lung primary that is collected.

Code carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation (8574/3). MP/H rule H7 applies: code the higher ICD-O-3 code. There is non-small cell lung carcinoma (8046/3) and a carcinoma, NOS with neuroendocrine differentiation present (8574/3).

2015
20150038

Reportability/MP/H Rules/Histology: Is malignant perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa) reportable, and if so, what is the histology code?

Malignant perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa) is reportable because it is malignant. Assign 8005/3 to malignant PEComa.

We consulted an ICD-O-3 expert who explained that some PEComas such as angiomyolipoma and lymphangiomyomatosis have specific ICD-O codes and their malignant counterparts may be coded to 8860/3 and 9174/3 respectively. There are no separate ICD-O codes for other specific PEComas, e.g., clear cell “sugar” tumor of lung, clear cell myomelanocytic tumor of the falciform ligament and some “unusual” clear cell tumors occurring in other organs—or for PEComa, NOS. These PEComas may therefore be coded to 8005 as clear cell tumors NOS; in other words as clear cell tumors that are not clear cell variants of carcinomas, sarcomas, or other specific tumor type.

Please note, PEComa is non-specific as to behavior. Unless the pathologist states that it is malignant, (as was the case for this question), the default code is 8005/1 (non-reportable).

2015
20150020

Reportability/Primary site--Skin: Is a basal cell carcinoma of the lip "ever" reportable and if so, what would need to be documented or seen?  See discussion.

There is a 1988 case that hit the SEER edits for other reasons but not because of that site/histo combination (C000 and 8090/3); however, there is no text.

Per a Dataminer query, there are 42 cases in the state database with C000-C009 and 8090.  On review, a few did have a mention of the word "upper lip/mucosa" in the PE text or OP findings (not path because a lot of these are removed in the MD office and we don't see the path report). Other times, there is no mention but the abstractor used the C00 codes instead of C44 so the cases get through.

SINQ #20031110 addresses this in relation to C000, Lip, NOS but we want to know if this answer meant you would never report a basal carcinoma lip case period (even if there is a mention of mucosa or any mention of mucosa in the path report). Are there any exceptions?

It seems if you would never report a basal lip carcinoma, then SEER would block those cases from being reported/submitted and the wording would be stronger in the SEER manual.

Right now the reportability only addresses if someone codes C44 but if someone decides to use C00 codes then it is allowed. Under Primary Site, there is even a listing under 12 for "absence of any additional information" and lists "Colored / lipstick portion of upper lip" as code C000.

BCC of lip C00_ is rare and requires a statement that the tumor is on the vermilion border (rather than skin) to be coded C00_ and to be reported. Our expert pathologist consultant refers to an article in the Am Acad Dermatol 2004; 50(3): 384-387.

 2015
20150050

Reportability: Is penile intraepithelial neoplasia, differentiated type, reportable? See discussion.

Foreskin circumcision shows: Penile intraepithelial neoplasia, differentiated type (differentiated PeIN). If reportable, how would the histology and behavior be coded? Is this behavior /2?

For cases diagnosed 2018 and later

Differentiated penile intraepithelial neoplasia (differentiated PeIN), is reportable (8071/2).

Please note: Penile intraepithelial neoplasia, grade 3 (PeIN 3) is also reportable to SEER (C600-C609, 8077/2).

 2015
20150037

Reportablility--Breast: Is lobular neoplasia reportable as lobular carcinoma in situ? See Discussion.

According to College of American Pathologists (CAP), lobular neoplasia is also known as lobular carcinoma in situ. In a previous SEER question 20041089, it was stated that they were not the same and should not be reported unless it was a Grade 3. I assume this has changed and we are to report lobular neoplasia as lobular carcinoma in situ, is this correct?

For cases diagnosed 2021 or later

Lobular neoplasia (LN II and LN III) and lobular intraepithelial neoplasia (LIN II and LIN III) are reportable and coded 8520/2.

 2015
20150045

MP/H/Histology--Thyroid:  What is the histology code for primary site of thyroid cancer with the histology of papillary thyroid carcinoma, classical and oncocytic type?

Code the histology to 8342/3, thyroid oncocytic (oxyphillic) papillary carcinoma.

2015
20150002

Reportability--Bladder: Please explain the reportability of UroVysion for bladder cancer in the following circumstances.

1. Patient has positive UroVysion test and follow up biopsy is negative. Is this case reportable with a diagnosis date the date of the UroVysion?

2. Patient has positive UroVysion test and follow up biopsy is positive for cancer. Is the diagnosis date of the date of the positive UroVysion or the date of the positive biopsy? Thank you.

Do not report a case based on UroVysion test results alone. Report a case when there is positive histology, a physician statement of malignancy, and/or the patient was treated for cancer.

1. Do not report the case.

2. Report the case based on the positive biopsy.

2015
20150011

Surgery Primary Site--Breast: Please clarify how to code both simple mastectomy with tissue expander and AlloDerm reconstruction, and simple mastectomy with tissue expander (NOS). See discussion.

There are multiple SEER Notes in the Breast Surgery Codes of Appendix C instructing us to code tissue expanders as reconstruction but none address the type of reconstruction to be coded.

1. Is a tissue expander always equivalent to Implant reconstruction?

2. Is AlloDerm always equivalent to Tissue reconstruction?

3. Is the combination of AlloDerm and tissue expander always equivalent to Combined (tissue and implant) reconstruction?

Do not code AlloDerm as either a tissue or implant reconstruction, it is a graft material that usually accompanies implant reconstruction. Placement of a tissue expander is an indication of planned reconstruction. Additional information is needed to determine whether the reconstruction involves tissue or implant.

1. A tissue expander is not always equivalent to Implant reconstruction

2. AlloDerm is not equivalent to tissue reconstruction

3. The combination of AlloDerm and tissue expander is not equivalent to combined (tissue and implant) reconstruction

2015
20150028

MP/H Rules/Histology--Head & Neck: Please clarify rule H3. The first statement is "Do not code terms that do not appear in the histology description". The second statement is "Do not code...unless the words...appear in the final diagnosis"

One of our pathology labs frequently will state "keratinizing squamous cell" in the microscopic description (histologic description), but only state "squamous cell carcinoma" in the final diagnosis. May we code from the histologic description if it's not in the final diagnosis?

Follow rule H3 and code squamous cell carcinoma for these cases unless you can obtain confirmation that these cases should be coded keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma from the lab and/or pathologist. Document this confirmation in your policies and procedures.

The MP/H rules were written with input from leading pathologists in each specialty area. Based on their expert opinion, we instruct registrars to code histology based on the information in the final diagnosis. The microscopic description may contain other terms, but the pathologist lists only the pertinent terms in the final diagnosis.

2015