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This is a correction to the SEER manual. Lymphomas originating in lymph nodes (C77) could have distant metastases to any site except lymph nodes. The following corrections to the manual apply now and will appear in the next version of the manual.

Remove C770-C779 from the instruction for assigning code 8 on the following pages.

Page 135 Mets at Dx--Bone

Page 137 Mets at Dx--Brain

Page 139 Mets at Dx--Liver

Page 141 Mets at Dx--Lung

Page 145 Mets at Dx--Other

Example

Biopsy of axillary lymph node: Diffuse Large B-Cell lymphoma. Lymph nodes involved above and below the diaphragm, multiple nodules seen in lung, lesions in liver. Bone marrow biopsy positive for DLBLC. Per Hematopoietic manual, primary site would be C778 for multiple lymph node regions involved.

Mets at Dx--Bone-0

Mets at Dx--Brain-0

Mets at Dx--Liver-1

Mets at Dx--Lung-1

Mets at Dx--Distant Lymph Nodes-8

Mets at Dx--Other-1

This is a metaplastic carcinoma as stated in the path diagnosis. Rule H14 applies. Assign code 8575/3. According to the WHO Classification, metaplastic carcinoma is a general term for a group of neoplasms characterized by a mixture of adenocarcinoma with dominant areas of spindle cell, squamous, and/or mesenchymal differentiation.

Use the Multiple Primary and Histology Coding Rules Manual for cases diagnosed 2007 or later to determine the histology for this case. Code histology to 8575/3 [metaplastic carcinoma] as stated in the pathology diagnosis.

Open the Multiple Primary and Histology Coding Rules manual. Choose one of the three formats (i.e., flowchart, matrix or text) under the Breast Histo rules determine histology for the case.

Go to the SINGLE TUMOR: INVASIVE CARCINOMA ONLY module. The rules are intended to be reviewed in consecutive order within the module from Rule H10 to Rule H19. You stop at the first rule that applies to the case you are processing.

Code the histology when only one histologic type is identified. According to the WHO Classification, metaplastic carcinoma is a general term for a group of neoplasms characterized by a mixture of adenocarcinoma with dominant areas of spindle cell, squamous, and/or mesenchymal differentiation.

This is a reportable case. Code the histology as malignant gastrinoma [8153/3].

Gastrinomas are usually malignant. This one is apparently present in a metastatic site (periportal lymph node) which confirms the malignancy.

This is a reportable case. Even though the pathology from the orchiectomy stated mature teratoma, NOS, the presence of lymph node metastases proves that this tumor is malignant. Code the histology as 9065/3 [germ cell tumor non-seminomatous].

The majority of germ cell tumors show the presence of multiple histologies. While the original tumor showed only mature teratoma, there were obviously yolk sac cells that were not detected on the sections taken from the primary tumor. Both teratoma and yolk sac are germ cell tumors. This explains why the pathologist gave you the diagnosis of germ cell tumor. The classification of "non-seminomatous" simply means that there was no seminomas present in the mixture of germ cell histologies.

This is a single primary according to the Solid Tumor Rules.

1. Breast Solid Tumor Rule M18 applies to the occurrence of the second right breast tumor (single primary).
2. Apply the Solid Tumor Rules, General Instructions, that state the rules are NOT used for tumor(s) described as metastases. Tumor in a metastatic site is not counted when applying the Solid Tumor rules. In this case, the physician stated that this is a right breast primary with widespread metastasis to the left breast.

This is a single primary coded to the site of the original melanoma. The brain and meninges are both metastatic sites. The MP/H Rules do not apply to metastases.

This case was sent to the melanoma physician specialists. The physician stated that, in this case, the meningeal involvement is secondary to the brain involvement (metastatic spread). Whenever brain metastases are diagnosed, the meningeal spread is metastatic.

This is a single primary per Lung rule M7. First determine the histology for each tumor. Both tumors are coded 8140/3 because the histologies are a PATTERN. Reference: Coding Multiple Histologies (precedes histology rules) Instruction 2 says do not code pattern . If the word pattern was not in the diagnosis, you would code the specific histology.

This is a single primary using 2018 Breast Solid Tumor Rule M11. Rule M8 does not apply because the patient was not clinically disease free for 5 years. We are interpreting the 2017 diagnosis as lymph node metastasis from the 2011 breast cancer diagnosis.

This is a single primary with the histology coded as infiltrating duct and infiltrating lobular carcinoma [8522/3].

For cases diagnosed 2007 or later, the steps used to arrive at this decision are:

Open the Multiple Primary and Histology Coding Rules manual. For a breast primary, start with the Breast Multiple Primary Rules because there are site specific rules for breast primaries.

Start at Rule M4 because this patient has multiple tumors in the same breast. The rules are intended to be reviewed in consecutive order within the applicable Module. Abstract a single primary as tumors that are lobular [8520] and intraductal or duct are a single primary.

Use the Breast Histology Coding Rules to determine the correct histology for these multiple tumors abstracted as a single primary. Start at Rule H20 as there were multiple tumors present but it is a single primary. Code the histology to 8522 [duct and lobular] when there is any combination of lobular [8520] and duct carcinoma.

The Note for Rule M10 indicates Table 1 and Table 2 are used to identify specific intraductal and duct carcinomas. Referring to Table 2 (Duct 8500/3 and Specific Duct Carcinomas) note that pleomorphic carcinoma is listed as a specific type of duct carcinoma. Pleomorphic is a word that describes the cellular appearance rather than a specific histology. It is coded when that is the only description/diagnosis given (pleomorphic carcinoma/pleomorphic duct carcinoma). In this case, both duct and lobular are describing the actual histologic types. Ignore the term "pleomorphic" and code the actual histologic descriptors, ductal and lobular. We will make appropriate changes to the breast rules in the MP/H revisions so this distinction is clear.

This is a single primary, epithelioid sarcoma of the left upper limb, diagnosed in 2003. The sarcoma progressed over the years and the patient was never free of disease -- positive margins were documented at each surgical event. Per the 2004 SEER Manual coding rules in place at the time of pre-2007 recurrences, they would not be multiple primaries according to Rule 5, exception 1.

The occurrence in 2010 is also not a new primary. The steps used to arrive at this decision are as follows.

Open the Multiple Primary and Histology Coding Rules manual. For a soft tissue primary, use one of the three formats (i.e., flowchart, matrix or text) under the Other Sites MP rules to determine the number of primaries because soft tissue primaries do not have site specific rules.

Start with the UNKNOWN IF SINGLE OR MULTIPLE TUMORS module, Rule M1. The rules are intended to be reviewed in consecutive order within the module that applies for this case. In this module there is only one rule.

. This patient was never disease free and it is unknown if this tumor was the same tumor (single tumor) or multiple tumors. Abstract a single primary for this patient.