SEER Inquiry System - Search

Code metronomic chemotherapy as chemotherapy. Metronomic chemotherapy, also referred to as low-dose metronomic (LDM) chemotherapy, is an emerging cancer treatment approach which administers relatively low doses of traditional chemotherapy drugs over a long period of time and without ‘breaks’ in treatment. By using lower doses this method of treatment minimizes the side effects of traditional chemotherapy.

Code microwave tumor ablation as surgery. For lung, assign code 15.

This question was discussed by the technical advisory group – a small group of representatives from each standard setter which meets periodically. The group agreed on this consensus answer.

Code multiplicity counter 04. Count both invasive and in situ tumors.

Multiplicity counter would have been coded 01 in 2008. Add the three in situ tumors diagnosed in 2009 to the first tumor and update multiplicity counter to 04. Make only one update to multiplicity counter. Because the multiplicity counter was updated once, the fifth tumor diagnosed in 2010 does not need to be added.

Code Multiplicity Counter to 02 [Two tumors present] for an epithelial ovarian primary involving both ovaries. Do not count the peritoneal implants; they are regional metastasis and not included in the multiplicity counter. An example like this will be added to the manual in the next revision.

Code myoepithelial carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma as carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma (CXPA) (8941/3) using Head and Neck Solid Tumor Rule H1 as this is a single histology.  The WHO Classification of Head and Neck Tumors, 5th ed., describes CXPA as a rare epithelial and/or myoepithelial malignance arising in association with a primary or recurrent pleomorphic adenoma.  The histologic type of the carcinoma component is usually recorded, in this case, myoepithelial carcinoma.

Code NSCLC to 8046/3.

Do not change a histology code simply to assign TNM to the case. AJCC does not determine histology coding. While pathologists are no longer encouraged to use NSCLC, it does not mean the term and code are obsolete. NSCLC could be any number of histologies such as adenocarcinoma or squamous carcinoma. A diagnosis of NSCLC indicates that the initial exam of the tissue did not identify a more specific type of NSCLC. Additional immunohistochemical testing is needed to determine the histology. Update the case if better information becomes available from subsequent tests/review.

When analyzing the data, researchers and physicians will be able to identify the cases where the pathologist was unable to or did not perform further testing to determine a specific histology which drives treatment and survival.

Code OPTUNE in the Other Treatment field. See NovaTTF in SEER*Rx (http://seer.cancer.gov/seertools/seerrx/). NovaTTF is the pre-FDA approval name for OPTUNE.

If OPTUNE was administered for recurrence, be sure NOT to record it in the first course of treatment fields. Check with CoC if you have questions about coding treatment for recurrence.

Code papillary carcinoma, tall cell variant with oncocytic features to papillary carcinoma, tall cell (C73.9) (8344/3).  The WHO Classification of Endocrine Organs states that this variant is composed of cells that are as tall as they are wide, and show abundant eosinophilic (oncocytic-like) cytoplasm.  Tall cells must account for greater than or equal to 30% of all tumor cells.

Code papillary squamotransitional cell carcinoma (PSCC) as 8120/3 using the 2018 Other Sites Solid Tumor Rules, Rule H11. PSCC is a distinctive subcategory of squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. WHO Classification of Tumors of Female Reproductive Organs say that squamotransitional cell tumors show papillary architecture with fibrovascular cores lines by multilayered atypical epithelium.

Code primary osteosarcoma of the breast to breast, C500-C509. Not all site and histology combinations can be staged in CS or AJCC. 9180/3 of breast cannot be staged using the CS breast schema. Breast (C500-C509) cannot be staged using the CS soft tissue schema. The same is true for AJCC. You can stage this case using SEER Summary Stage.

Important: Do NOT change the primary site or histology code based on whether or not the case can be CS or AJCC staged. We need to know how many cases are unable to be staged because of their primary site and histology combinations.