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Report Produced: 05/14/2026 18:30 PM

Report Question ID Question Discussion Answer Year
20091003 MP/H Rules/Histology--Peritoneal primary: Can the cell types from the primary site and a metastatic site be combined to code histology? See Discussion. Patient has vaginal mass biopsy diagnosed as 'papillary carcinoma with psammoma bodies.' Two weeks later the patient has laparoscopy with multiple peritoneal biopsies, diagnosed as 'well differentiated serous adenocarcinoma'. Patient stated to have peritoneal primary with mets to vagina and was treated with chemotherapy. Do we code the histology to 8441/31 from the primary site biopsies, or can we use 8460/3, combining the cell types from the primary and metastatic sites? Please see SINQ 20041062 for a similar question before the 2007 MP/H rules.

For cases diagnosed 2007 or later, assign code 8441 [serous adenocarcinoma, NOS].

Code the histology from the primary site when available. Do not combine histologies from primary and metastatic sites.

In this primary peritoneal case, the diagnosis from the peritoneal biopsies was serous adenocarcinoma.

 2009
20091004

Reportability--Kidney: Is the donor or the recipient the reportable patient when a cyst removed from a pre-transplanted kidney is determined to be cancerous? See Discussion.

A patient received a kidney from her son. The son's kidney had a cyst which was removed prior to the transplant and later determined to be renal cell ca. Who do we report, the donor or the recipient?

The renal cell carcinoma should be reported for the donor. The cyst that was determined to be carcinoma was removed before the kidney was transplanted.

 2009
20091006

Primary site--Lung: What primary site code is used for bronchus intermedius?

Assign code C340 [main bronchus].

The bronchus intermedius is the lower part of the main bronchus on the right side. The bronchus intermedius begins just below the point where the upper lobe bronchus branches off from the main bronchus. The bronchus intermedius branches into the middle lobe bronchus and the lower lobe bronchus.

2009
20091007 CS Extension--Lung: How is this field coded for a tumor in the right middle lobe with extension to the bronchus intermedius?

This answer was provided in the context of CSv1 coding guidelines. The response may not be used after your registry database has been converted to CSv2.

Assign CS extension code 20

[Extension from other parts of lung to main stem bronchus, NOS

(EXCLUDES superficial tumor as described in code 11)

Tumor involving main stem bronchus greater than or equal to 2.0 cm from carina (primary in lung or main stem bronchus)].

A right middle lobe tumor that extends to the bronchus intermedius is one that is extending to the main stem bronchus from another part of the lung. The bronchus intermedius is the lower part of the main stem bronchus on the right. It is more than 2.0 cm away from the carina.

 2009
20091008 Surgery of Primary Site--Breast: How is this field coded when a mastectomy and a sentinel lymph node excision, that yields only one lymph node, are performed? See Discussion. Is there a minimum number of lymph nodes that must be removed in order to code a modified radical mastectomy? Assign code 41 [Total (simple) mastectomy...] for a simple mastectomy with removal of one or more sentinel lymph nodes. As long as the nodes removed are designated sentinel, use code 41 for a simple mastectomy. 2009
20091009 MP/H Rules/Histology--Kidney: How do you code histology for a renal cell carcinoma when pathologists disagree as to whether or not the tumor is consistent with thyroid-like follicular carcinoma of the kidney? See Discussion. Final diagnosis states 'left radical nephrectomy, renal cell carcinoma.' The CAP Histologic Type is listed as: Unclassified, most consistent with primary thyroid-like follicular carcinoma of the kidney.' Because of the unusual histology it was sent for a consult to a genitourinary pathology specialist. His response was: 'histologic features not typical for any of the known subtypes of renal cell carcinoma and are not consistent with primary thyroid-like follicular carcinoma of the kidney, a distinct renal tumor that we have recently published in the literature.' The tumor was TTF-1 negative, arguing against metastasis from a thyroid primary. For cases diagnosed 2007 or later, assign code 8312 [renal cell carcinoma, NOS]. The diagnosis is renal cell carcinoma, but the specific type is in question. 2009
20091010 MP/H Rules/Histology--Breast: What histology is coded when a final diagnosis on a lumpectomy specimen states "adenocarcinoma" but the regional lymph nodes show "poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with signet ring differentiation"? See Discussion.

3/23 left breast mass bx: infiltrating lobular carcinoma.

6/22 left breast lumpectomy: infiltrating adenocarcinoma; sentinel lymph nodes with metastatic poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with signet ring differentiation. Axillary resection with poorly differentiated metastasis in 8/9 nodes. The path micro states: tissue consists of sections of breast tissue having an infiltrating ca which in some areas infiltrates as small duct-like structures, and in other areas as small gland-like structures. In addition, there are foci in which the cells infiltrate in a single file fashion. In a few areas, cells having a signet ring appearance similar to those seen in the lymph nodes are encountered. In other areas, the signet ring appearance is not prominent. Areas of ductal or lobular ca in situ are not identified (the lymph node resection specimen shows 'signet ring appearance in some areas but no ductlike or tubular structures observed')

The comment on the lumpectomy path states: 'This is an unusual tumor in that it has histologic characteristics in varying areas, which would be consistent with infiltrating ductal carcinoma, infiltrating lobular carcinoma, tubular carcinoma or signet ring cell carcinoma. The metastatic material (8/9 total axillary lymph nodes) is most consistent with the poorly differentiated signet ring type portion of the tumor undergoing metastasis.'

For cases diagnosed 2007 or later:

Code the histology 8140 [Adenocarcinoma, NOS] using Breast rule H14.

Code the histology from the final diagnosis on the pathology report of the most representative specimen (the lumpectomy in this case). Do not code histology from the microscopic description. Code the histology from the primary site whenever available, not the metastatic site.

Comments on pathology reports can be used to code histology. However, in this case the final diagnosis is more definitive than the comments. The comment provides several choices and none of these appear in the final diagnosis; an indication that the pathologist was not able to clearly identify a more specific type in this case.

 2009
20091011 MP/H Rules/Histology--Breast: What histology is coded for a tumor diagnosed as "intraductal papillary carcinoma (neuroendocrine differentiation)"? See Discussion. Final diagnosis states: Right breast, excisional bx with findings most consistent with intraductal papillary carcinoma (neuroendocrine DCIS). The path micro states: the morphologic features are those of a neuroendrocrine-type tumor & IHC stains confirm neuroendocrine differentiation.

For cases diagnosed 2007 or later, assign code 8503/2 [Intraductal papillary carcinoma] using Breast rule H2. Code the histology from the final diagnosis.

There is no code for neuroendocrine DCIS in ICD-O-3.

 2009
20091012 MP/H Rules/Histology--Head & Neck: If the final diagnosis states "see microscopic description," can the micro information be used to code the histology? See Discussion. In regards to coding histology for 2007 and forward cases, we are instructed to use the final diagnosis, and any addenda or comments associated with the final diagnosis. We are not to use the microscopic description. However, we are seeing pathology reports with a final diagnosis that also includes the notation "see microscopic description" or "see description". Example: "Left Parotid: High grade carcinoma involving deep lobe with marginal extension. See description." The microscopic description goes on to describe the carcinoma in more detail, which includes a statement "consistent with the ductal type of primary parotid carcinoma." Can we use this microscopic description or not?

For cases diagnosed 2007 or later:

When the final diagnosis indicates that the microscopic section contains the detailed diagnosis, use the microscopic description to code the histology.

Otherwise, code from the final diagnosis only and not from the microscopic description. The final diagnosis is usually the pathologist's conclusion after consideration of the various choices listed in the microscopic description. The histology code should represent the pathologist's final conclusion.

 2009
20091013

Reportability--Skin: Is a "basal cell carcinoma of the skin of the lip with focal skin appendage differentiation" reportable?

The histology code for basal cell carcinoma with skin appendage differentiation is 8098/3. Basal cell carcinomas (8090-8110) are not reportable to SEER. Skin appendage tumors are not reportable to SEER unless stated to be carcinoma or stated to be malignant.

According to our pathologist consultant, basal cell carcinoma with focal skin appendage differentiation is basal cell carcinoma which exhibits adnexal (appendage) features, but it is still basal cell carcinoma.

The case example above is not reportable to SEER.

 2009