| Report | Question ID | Question | Discussion | Answer | Cancer Site Category | Data Item Category | Year |
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20020018 | EOD-Lymph Nodes/EOD-Pathologic Review of Number of Regional Lymph Nodes Positive and Examined--Cervix: What codes are used to represent these fields for a cervix primary when the only information on lymph nodes is a CT of the pelvis showing "pelvic adenopathy" (no surgery was done)? | Code the EOD-Lymph Nodes field to 9 [unknown]. Code the Pathologic Review of Number of Regional Lymph Nodes Positive field to 98 [No nodes examined] and the Lymph Nodes Examined to 00 [No nodes examined] because there was no resection of the primary organs. Adenopathy, NOS, per SEER guidelines, is not coded as lymph node involvement | Cervix Uteri, Lymph nodes | N/A | 2002 | |
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20000844 | EOD-Pathologic Review of Number of Regional Lymph Nodes Positive and Examined--Colon: What codes are used to represent these fields when the pathology from a colon cancer resection describes 2/16 positive pericolonic lymph nodes and a "metastatic nodule in the pericolonic fat"? | For cases diagnosed 1998-2003:
Code the Number of Regional Lymph Nodes Positive field to 03 and the Number of Regional Lymph Nodes Examined field to 17. Each grossly detectable nodule in the pericolonic fat is counted as one regional lymph node. |
Colon, Lymph nodes | N/A | 2000 | |
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20240021 | Solid Tumor Rules/Reportability/Histology--Digestive Sites: Is a diagnosis of “high grade dysplasia” (not specified to be squamous or glandular) reportable for esophagus, stomach, and small intestine for cases diagnosed beginning in 2024? If so, how should histology be coded? See Discussion. |
SEER Program Coding and Staging Manual indicates high grade dysplasia of esophagus, stomach, and small intestine are reportable. The ICD-O-3.2 does not include “high grade dysplasia” as equivalent to “high grade squamous dysplasia.” If reportable, would high grade dysplasia (NOS) that originates in the stomach and small intestine default to 8148/2, while esophageal high grade dysplasia (NOS) default to 8077/2? |
Report these high grade dysplasia of the following organs as stated below. Stomach: Assign code 8148/2 glandular intraepithelial neoplasia, high grade using the Other Sites Solid Tumor Rules, Table 6: Stomach Histologies and as described in the WHO Classification of Digestive Tumors, 5th edition. Small intestine and Esophagus: Assign code 8148/2 glandular intraepithelial neoplasia, high grade, using the Other Sites Solid Tumor Rules, Other Sites Histology Rules, Rule H4/H26. The following note is listed for both of these rules. Note: This list may not include all reportable neoplasms for 8148/2. See SEER Program Coding and Staging Manual or STORE manual for reportable neoplasms The Other Sites Solid Tumor Rules, Table 5: Esophagus Histologies and Table 7: Small Intestine and Ampulla of Vater Histologies will be updated to reflect this code as time permits. |
Esophagus, Small intestine | Histology | 2024 |
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20100110 | Reportability--Esophagus/Stomach: Are the terms "high grade dysplasia" and "severe dysplasia" synonymous with in situ for tumors in the gastrointestinal tract? See Discussion. |
SINQ 20000245 states that high grade or severe dysplasia in not synonymous with in situ disease. However, per page 109 in the 7th edition of AJCC Cancer Staging Manual, high grade dysplasia is the only term listed under Tis. A note on that page explains that "high-grade dysplasia includes all noninvasive neoplastic epithelia that was formerly called carcinoma in situ, a diagnosis that is no longer used for columnar mucosae anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract."
There has been considerable pressure from registrars at larger reporting facilities to re-address this issue. The pathologists at these facilities state that they are correctly documenting the presence of in situ disease when they use the term high grade dysplasia for gastrointestinal tract tumors. In their opinion, it is not necessary to add the term in situ in parentheses following the use of the term high grade dysplasia to clarify the behavior of these lesions in their pathology reports. If the term "carcinoma in situ" is no longer being used by many pathologists for sites in the gastrointestinal tract, won't this lead to underreporting of in situ disease for these sites unless the reportability guidelines are changed? |
For cancer reporting purposes, the terms "high grade dysplasia" and "severe dysplasia" are not synonymous with in situ for tumors in the gastrointestinal tract. These cases are only reportable when the pathologist documents carcinoma in situ or intraepithelial neoplasia grade III, or when the registry includes in their policies and procedures the pathologist's statement that he/she uses HGD to mean the same as CIS.
Reportability laws are customarily based on ICD-O. Because "high grade dysplasia" and "severe dysplasia" are not designated as in situ in the ICD-O, there is no legal authority to report these cases in most states.
NAACCR is reviewing this issue. See #5 on page 11 of the December 1, 2013 NAACCR Implementation document, http://www.naaccr.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=u7d3sB71t5w%3d&tabid=126&mid=466 |
Esophagus, Stomach | N/A | 2010 |
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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). |
Fallopian Tube, Lymph nodes | Primary site | 2025 |
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20210025 | 2021 SEER Manual/Primary Site--Ovary, Fallopian Tube: What information takes precedence for coding the primary site in cases with high grade serous carcinoma that are clinically called ovarian but on pathology, the pathologist calls the primary site fallopian tube and the gynecology oncology/managing phsyician continues to call the cases ovarian. Both the ovary and tube are involved. Sometimes also referred to as "tubo-ovarian." |
When the choice is between ovary, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal, any indication of fallopian tube involvement indicates the primary tumor is a tubal primary. Fallopian tube primary carcinomas can be confirmed by reviewing the fallopian tube sections as described on the pathology report to document the presence of either serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC) and/or tubal mucosal invasive serous carcinoma. If there is no information about the fallopian tubes, refer to the histology and look at the treatment plans for the patient. If all else fails, you may have to assign C579 as a last resort. Use text fields to document the details. For additional information, see the CAP GYN protocol, Table 1: Criteria for assignment of primary site in tubo-ovarian serous carcinomas. |
Fallopian Tube, Ovary | Primary site | 2021 | |
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20180056 | 2018 SEER Manual/Primary Site--Ovary, Fallopian Tube: How should primary site be coded for a previously diagnosed ovarian cancer which is now being reclassified as fallopian tube? See Discussion. |
There is a group of patients diagnosed within the past few years with ovarian cancers who are now enrolled in a clinical trial and are being screened as potential patients for a particular protocol. The screening for these particular cases is being done by a pathologist who has a particular interest in GYN pathology. As the pathologist is screening the cases, there are some which the pathologist is reclassifying as being fallopian tube primaries rather than ovarian primaries. This is apparently due to newly emerging findings and literature. The problem for me is that these cases have been entered into the registry as ovarian primaries, which was correct as of the time of the initial diagnosis. Should the abstracts remain as they were initially coded, since the diagnosis was ovarian cancer at the time they were diagnosed, or should these cases be updated to reflect the current pathologist's interpretation that these are fallopian tube primaries? |
Do not change the primary site in this situation. Since the review was done for a clinical trial and the change was not officially made in the patient's medical record, the primary site remains ovary for the cancer registry. Add an explanatory note in a text field for future reference. |
Fallopian Tube, Ovary | Primary site | 2018 |
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20210063 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018/2021)/Multiple primaries--Ovary, Fallopian Tubes: How many primaries should be reported and for which primary site(s) when pathologist identifies bilateral ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma with involvement of the left fallopian tube (also showing serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC))? See Discussion. |
Patient is diagnosed July 2021 with high-grade serous carcinoma on ascites cytology. Tumor debulking total abdominal hysterectomy/bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in August shows high-grade serous carcinoma involving the right ovary (capsule intact, right fallopian tube is negative), left ovary (capsule ruptured), and fallopian tube. Pathologist has chosen tumor site to be bilateral ovaries in the staging summary, with the left fallopian tube listed as “other tissue/organ involvement” along with uterus, peritoneum, and omentum. Additional findings in staging summary includes serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC). Our interpretation of SINQ 20210025 is that any case with both ovarian and tubal involvement would be coded as a fallopian tube primary if STIC is present, even when the pathologist is clearly calling the case ovarian. If this is correct, then the previous SINQ 20120093 may need to be updated with a date restriction reference since it would be in disagreement with this instruction. If our interpretation is incorrect, then the STIC would be an additional primary per MP/H Rule M11. |
Bilateral ovarian tumors are a single primary per M7. Abstract the STIC as a second primary. SINQ 20210025 is intented to address situations with confliciting information about the primary site. The answers remain unchanged in 2012009 and 20210025. |
Fallopian Tube, Ovary | N/A | 2021 |
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20210064 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018/2021)/Multiple primaries--Ovary, Fallopian Tube: How many primaries should be reported when patient has right fallopian tube high-grade serous carcinoma and bilateral serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC)? See Discussion. |
Patient is diagnosed March 2021, with malignant pleural effusion, clinical impression supports either endometrial or tubo-ovarian primary and neoadjuvant chemotherapy is given. Subsequent total abdominal hysterectomy/bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TAH/BSO) in July, shows high-grade serous carcinoma involving the right fallopian tube and bilateral ovaries, as well as bilateral STIC. Summary Stage lists tumor site as right fallopian tube, with the serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC) noted under “additional findings.” Should the contralateral (left-sided) STIC be accessioned as an additional primary, per MP/H Rule M8, the since fallopian tubes are listed in Table 1 as Paired Organs with Laterality? |
Abstract as multiple primaries per rule M8. There are bilateral fallopian tube primaries. It sounds like the "primary" tumor was identified in the right fallopian tube with bilateral spread of disease. Incidental STIC was also identifed in the left fallopian tube. Do not record the STIC as another primary. |
Fallopian Tube, Ovary | N/A | 2021 |
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20091048 | Surgery of Primary Site--Lymphoma/Soft Tissue: How is this field coded for an excision of a neck mass that found lymphoma in soft tissue (C49.0)? See Discussion. | CT scan showed soft tissue mass in the retropharynx. 9/23/2008 Laryngoscopy with biopsy taken of left tonsil and left base of tongue and random biopsies of nasopharynx; FNA of left neck. Path stated left tonsil, squamous papilloma. Left base of tongue, no significant histopathology. Nasopharynx biopsies, compatible with tonsillar tissue. Pretracheal lymph node biopsies, mild reactive lymphoid hyperplasia. 9/30/2008 Excision of left neck mass with limited deep jugular chain lymph node dissection. Path stated lymph node left jugular biopsy, no tumor seen. Soft tissue, left neck biopsy, malignant B cell lymphoma with plasmacytoid differentiation. Addendum from consult: favor a diagnosis of a marginal zone lymphoma. Per the gross description, the specimen was fibrofatty connective tissue in which there is a tumor infiltrate. | Updated May 2026 For cases diagnosed prior to 2023: Assign code 26 [partial resection]. Use the surgery codes that apply to the primary site, C490-C499. For cases diagnosed 2023+, see code A260. |
Head & Neck, Lymphoma | Surgery of Primary Site | 2009 |
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