Report | Question ID | Question | Discussion | Answer | Year |
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20230017 | Solid Tumor Rules/Multiple Primaries--Rectum/Anal Canal: How many primaries are accessioned and how should histology be coded for a 2021 abdominoperineal resection showing invasive adenocarcinoma of distal rectum and associated Paget disease of the anal mucosa and perianal skin? See Discussion. |
The synoptic report calls this “Invasive adenocarcinoma with secondary Paget disease of anal mucosa and perianal skin.” The tumor size is listed as “2.1 x 1.7 x 0.7 cm, including associated advanced adenoma; size does not include the extent of the associated Paget disease, which extends for at least 2 cm distally.” Clinically this is called an incidentally discovered Paget’s disease. It is unclear if this is a collision tumor that should be abstracted as separate primaries, or if this is a single tumor with underlying Paget’s disease (similar to that described in Other Sites Rule H26). If this is a single rectal tumor, there does not appear to be an H rule for this scenario. |
Abstract two primaries using rule M4 of the Colon rules or rule M13 of Other Sites: 1. Invasive adenocarcinoma of distal rectum and 2. Paget disease of the anal mucosa / perianal skin (determine site of origin and code primary site accordingly). The rectum and the anus are separate sites and the histologies differ in each site. The WHO Classification of Digestive System Tumors, 5th edition, states that in addition to secondary anal Paget disease arising from anal canal adenocarcinoma, or rarely, adenoma without documented invasive disease, secondary Paget cells may be contiguous with the underlying neoplasm or manifest at different at sites distinctly away from it (with skip lesions). Document the details in the appropriate text fields. |
2023 |
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20230056 | Reportability/Histology--Heme and Lymphoid Neoplasms: What is the histology code for nodular lymphocyte predominant B cell lymphoma that is never called Hodgkin lymphoma? Is it acceptable to record the histology code for nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma, (9659/3)? See Discussion. |
Patient has a history of human immunodeficiency virus and diffuse large B cell lymphoma diagnosed in 2012, and is status/post systemic therapy and in remission since completing first course treatment. In 2022, the patient has imaging suspicious for recurrence. A biopsy of a deep left cervical lymph node showed atypical lymphoid infiltrate with the comment: “This is a challenging case. The constellation of findings is most in keeping with early / focal and subtle involvement by a nodular lymphocyte predominant B-cell lymphoma. We find no evidence of involvement by a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.” The managing physician later states, “Cervical lymph node biopsy (06/2022) was consistent with nodular lymphocyte predominant B cell lymphoma.” |
According to the 5th edition WHO Blue Book for Hematopoietic Neoplasms, Beta Version, (not released yet), nodular lymphocyte predominant B-cell lymphoma is an alternate name for 9659/3. We will update the Heme database once the 5th edition is released in print. |
2023 |
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20230051 | First Course Treatment/Surgical Margins of the Primary Site--Melanoma: Is margin status positive or negative when the lesion “approximates” margins? This was noted in the pathology report comment on a malignant melanoma in-situ shave biopsy. Follow-up with physicians is not possible in this situation. |
Assign margin status as “positive” when stated as approximates margins as recommended by our expert pathologists. Approximating means coming right up to inked margin without the margin transecting the tumor. |
2023 | |
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20230024 | SEER Manual/Reportability--Brain and CNS: Is microadenoma reportable? A pituitary mass seen on imaging was "consistent with Microadenoma" on 11/15/2022. There was no histologic confirmation or treatment given. |
Pituitary microadenoma is reportable. Assign 8272/0. "Micro" refers to size of the adenoma. Per the SEER Program Coding and Staging Manual 2022, a reportable intracranial or CNS neoplasm identified only by diagnostic imaging is reportable, and "consistent with" is listed on the Ambiguous Terms to be used for Reportability list. As a result, this case is reportable. |
2023 | |
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20230014 | Reportability--Thyroid: Is a case with thyroid fine needle aspirate (FNA) cytology with nodule 1 Bethesda category 5 and nodule 2 Bethesda 6, reportable in 2021? Does the Bethesda category 5 or 6 have any bearing on reportability? |
In the absence of information to the contrary, thyroid FNAs designated as Bethesda classification category VI are reportable. Thyroid FNAs designated as Bethesda classification category V are not reportable unless there is additional information confirming a reportable diagnosis. For both Bethesda V and VI, NCCN Guidelines recommend total thyroidectomy or lobectomy (depending on tumor size and nodal involvement) for the purposes of definitive diagnosis/treatment, so additional information should be available. We will add this to the next version of the SEER manual. In your example, nodule 1 Bethesda V is not reportable. Nodule 2 Bethesda VI is reportable. |
2023 | |
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20230065 | Solid Tumor Rules/Histology--Prostate: Is histology coded as 8045 (Combined small cell carcinoma) for a 2023 diagnosis of two-component carcinoma comprised of both acinar adenocarcinoma and small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the prostate? See Discussion. |
This patient does not have a previous diagnosis of prostate adenocarcinoma nor a previous history of androgen-deprivation therapy. Does the logic in the Other Sites Solid Tumor Rules (STRs) noted in SINQ 20200052 still apply? This SINQ confirms a diagnosis of mixed prostatic adenocarcinoma and small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma is 8045. This matches the STRs instructions for Rule H21 and Table 2 (Mixed and Combination Codes), row 1. Row 1 indicates a mixed small cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma is combined small cell carcinoma (8045). For a patient without previous treatment, is this the correct mixed histology code? |
Code histology as combined small cell carcinoma (8045) based on the Other Sites Solid Tumor Rules, May 2023 Update, Table 2, Mixed and Combination Codes, for this mixed histology prostate carcinoma consisting of adenocarcinoma and small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma regardless of treatment status. This is similar to SINQ 20200052 that applies to one tumor with mixed histologies. |
2023 |
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20230061 | EOD (2018)/EOD Primary Tumor--Prostate: How is Extent of Disease (EOD) Prostate Pathologic Extension coded when no residual cancer is found? See Discussion. |
Patient was diagnosed with a pT1c prostate cancer in 2022. Patient was then treated with radical prostatectomy. No residual disease was found. Would the correct EOD prostate path extension code be 999 based on Note 8 (code 999 when radical prostatectomy is performed, but there is no information on the extension); or, would we use code 300 (confined to prostate) because the data item "…is used to assign pT category for prostate cancer based on radical prostatectomy specimens" and we know it was limited to the prostate because no residual was found? |
Assign code 300 for EOD Prostate Pathologic Extension. In this scenario, the patient has a localized cancer confirmed by radical prostatectomy; the needle core biopsies likely removed all the cancer. Unlike prostate, other sites’ extension information is collected in EOD Primary Tumor, as seen commonly with breast tumors where the results from the surgical resection are recorded with tumor confined to primary site. |
2023 |
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20230043 | Solid Tumor Rules/Histology--Lung: What is the histology code for a lung tumor diagnosed as “Minimally invasive adenocarcinoma, mixed mucinous and non-mucinous, grade 1, lepidic-predominant”? See Discussion. |
The resection pathology report final diagnosis indicates this is both mixed mucinous and non-mucinous with a lepidic predominant component. The pathologist notes this is “Lepidic: 75%. Acinar: 25%.” The percentage of the mucinous component is not documented. Rule H1, Note 1, states “When mucinous carcinoma is mixed with another histology, such as adenocarcinoma and mucinous carcinoma, code mucinous ONLY when mucinous is documented to be greater than 50% of the tumor.” While mixed invasive mucinous and non-mucinous carcinoma is included in Table 2 (Combination/Mixed Histology Codes) without a required percentage, it is unclear whether one should move past Rule H7 and use Rule H8 to code this combination histology code. Rule H7 would instruct one to code the histology to lepidic adenocarcinoma (adenocarcinoma, lepidic predominant) based on the percentage of the lepidic component in the tumor. However, this does not address the mixed mucinous and non-mucinous diagnosis. Which H Rule and histology apply to this case? |
Assign histology code 8254/3 (mixed invasive mucinous and non-mucinous adenocarcinoma) to this lung tumor using Lung Solid Tumor Rules, Rule H4. This is a new code/term approved by IARC/WHO for ICD-O. Rule H4 instructs one to code the histology when only one histology is present. In this case, the pathologist indicates the tumor is mixed mucinous and non-mucinous histologies. The non-mucinous carcinoma that is seen in this mixed histology may be identified as: Adenocarcinoma in situ, minimally invasive adenocarcinoma, or lepidic predominant adenocarcinoma. In this case it is lepidic predominant adenocarcinoma. Lepidic is a recognized histology in lung. It is not unusual for the pathologist to indicate mixed non-muncinous and mucinous adenocarcinoma AND also list the non-mucinous subytpe. It is important to capture both mucinous and non-mucinous histologies which drives treatment, etc. |
2023 |
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20230029 | Primary Site--Skin: Are perianal skin primaries within 5 cm of the anus coded as perianal skin (C44.5) or anus (C21.0). See Discussion. |
ICD-O-3 tells us that perianal skin is C445 and we do not capture basal or squamous cell skin cancers in our registry. The AJCC manual stages perianal skin cancers within 5 cm of the anus with the anus chapter. We cannot AJCC stage them as an anus if we are not capturing them as C445. I realize we do not code a site in order to stage. We have been following the reportability rules and not capturing. Is this correct? I do not see this addressed in the new Other Sites Solid Tumor Rules. |
Code primary site based on the site of origin as determined by the physicians. If the physicians state the site of origin is anus, code anus; the same as with skin. As you state, squamous cell cancer of sites coded to C44 is not reportable. The AJCC instruction for physicians to stage perianal neoplasms within 5 cm of the anus using the Anus chapter does not change cancer registry instructions for coding primary site, nor does it affect cancer registry reportability instructions. |
2023 |
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20230069 | First Course Treatment/Immunotherapy--Colon: Is infliximab cancer directed treatment? See Discussion. |
While SEER*Rx does indicate infliximab should be coded as biological response modifier (BRM)/Immunotherapy, the manufacturer website for this medication indicates it is given for: Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and plaque psoriasis. In addition, SEER*Rx does not indicate which primary sites this treatment may be given for. If it is indeed cancer directed treatment, can the typical primary sites be added for clarity? Case example: Patient is diagnosed with colorectal cancer and also has an existing diagnosis of Crohn’s disease; received surgery and FOLFOX6, as well as infliximab. There was no statement of what disease the infliximab was given to treat. |
infliximab is not cancer-directed treatment. This drug was last updated by the FDA 2/22/2023 with additional information on its approval to treat non-malignant neoplasms. To date, the FDA has not approved it for use in colon cancer. This drug was intially developed to treat colon cancer; however, found to be ineffective treating cancer. |
2023 |