SEER Inquiry System - Search

SEER defines the apex as being the bottom-most portion of the gland. Apex means "narrowest part," which in the prostate would be the bottom-most portion of the gland.

SEER has not established a hierarchy of the codes listed under Other Treatment. If the patient receives more than one type of other treatment as the first course of treatment, assign the code that provides the most information about how the patient was treated and use the remarks fields to explain.

Code Other Treatment for the case example above as 2 [Other experimental therapy]. Use the remarks fields to describe the transfusions and vitamin D therapy.

SEER has not established a priority for assigning the Reason for No Surgery of Primary Site codes. Assign the code which best describes the reason surgery was not performed.

Example: Assign code 2, Contraindicated due to patient risk factors. According to the physician, this is the reason that surgery was not performed.

SEER will answer the question about the number of primaries to accession. Submit questions about stage to the CoC CAnswer Forum.

For cases diagnosed 2007 or later: Accession two primaries: a mixed adenocarcinoma, acinar and papillary types [8255/3] and a bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, non-mucinous [8252/3].

The steps used to arrive at this decision are:

Determine the histology code for each tumor prior to applying the Multiple Primary Rules to determine the number of primaries to accession. There are two non-small cell carcinomas, NOS; the histology code for these two tumors will be 8046/3. There is a single adenocarcinoma with acinar and papillary subtypes tumor, the histology for this tumor will be 8255. There is a single bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, non-mucinous subtype tumor; the histology for this tumor will be 8252/3.

Open the Multiple Primary and Histology Coding Rules manual. Choose one of the three formats (i.e., flowchart, matrix or text) under the Lung Multiple Primary rules to determine the number of primaries.

Start at the MULTIPLE TUMORS module, Rule M3, because this patient has multiple tumors. The rules are intended to be reviewed in consecutive order within the module (from Rule M3 to Rule M12 in this case). Stop at the first rule that applies to the case you are processing. This patient's adenocarcinoma with acinar and papillary subtypes [8255/3] and non-mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma [8252/3] are multiple primaries.

Perform a second pass through the Multiple Primary rules to determine whether the two non-small cell carcinomas [8046/3] are multiple primaries or manifestations of the same primaries identified in Step 3.

Start at Rule M3 again because this patient has multiple tumors. Again, these rules are intended to be reviewed in consecutive order within the module (from Rule M3 to Rule M12 in this case). Stop at the first rule that applies to the case you are processing. This patient's non-small cell carcinomas, NOS [8046/3] are a single primary when compared to the adenocarcinoma with acinar and papillary subtypes [8255/3] and non-mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma [8252/3]. Both of these histologies are more specific types of non-small cell carcinoma per the Lung Histology Groups and Specific Types Chart (Chart 1).

You can also apply Rule M10 for both non-small cell carcinoma, NOS [8046/3] compared to adenocarcinoma with acinar and papillary subtypes [8255/3] and non-small cell carcinoma, NOS [8046/3] compared to non-mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma [8252/3].

SEGA (Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma) is reportable if diagnosed in 2004 or later. Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is not a neoplasm and is not reportable. SEGA is a neoplasm that commonly occurs in TSC patients.

Refer to the reportability instructions on pages 5-7 in the SEER manual, https://seer.cancer.gov/manuals/2016/SPCSM_2016_maindoc.pdf

STUMP (smooth muscle tumor of uncertain malignant potential) is not reportable. According to the WHO classification of uterine corpus tumors, the behavior code for STUMP is /1.

Schwannomas and neurofibromas of the peripheral nerves are not reportable. Schwannomas of the nerve root or spinal dura are reportable.

Search for additional information on the location of the primary in this case. A tissue specimen (biopsy) is required for a diagnosis of rhabdoid. Additionaly, there should be scans describing any tumors located in sites other than the biopsy site. If the biopsy site is not assumed to be a metastatic site and is the only location of tumor, code the site of the biopsy as the primary site.

If it is not possible to obtain further information for this case, code the primary site C809 [Unknown primary site].

According to our pathologist consultant, extra-renal rhabdoid tumors have been described in organ sites (liver, GI tract, thyroid, CNS, skin, to name a few) as well as in the soft tissue. Many of the organ site tumors are multiple/multifocal, so multiple tumors in one organ do not necessarily imply metastatic disease and therefore unknown primary site.

See SINQ 20160023 for NET grade coding instructions. Coding grade for NETs is slightly different from coding grade for other solid tumors.

Since this diagnosis includes "Well differentiated" and "Grade 2," assign grade code 2, the higher grade. According to our expert pathologist consultant, "intermediate" fits best with grade 2.

See the General Coding Rules on page 92 of the 2004 SEER Manual for instructions about coding grade.

If the only information available is "Grade 2," assign code 2 [Grade II].