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Report Produced: 02/12/2026 04:23 AM

Report Question ID Question Discussion Answer Year
20130184

Reportability--Appendix: Are low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms reportable?

For cases diagnosed prior to 1/1/2022

A low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm (LAMN) is not reportable. The WHO classification designates LAMN with the behavior code /1 [uncertain whether benign or malignant].

 2013
20130020 Reportability--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: Is aplastic anemia reportable and is it an alternate name for refractory anemia?

For cases diagnosed 2010 and forward, access the Hematopoietic Database at http://seer.cancer.gov/seertools/hemelymph.

Aplastic anemia is not reportable and it is not an alternative name for refractory anemia.

SEER*Educate provides training on how to use the Heme Manual and DB. If you are unsure how to arrive at the answer in this SINQ question, refer to SEER*Educate to practice coding hematopoietic and lymphoid neoplasms. Review the step-by-step instructions provided for each case scenario to learn how to use the application and manual to arrive at the answer provided. https://educate.fhcrc.org/LandingPage.aspx.

2013
20130188 Reportability--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: Is plasma cell neoplasm reportable? See Discussion. A previously submitted question in 2012 stated this was reportable, but recent answers seem to indicate this is not reportable. Please clarify whether this is reportable or not.

For cases diagnosed 2010 and forward, access the Hematopoietic Database at http://seer.cancer.gov/seertools/hemelymph.

Plasma cell neoplasm is not reportable.

We apologize for the confusion that this has caused. The term "plasma cell neoplasm" was not included in the 2010 Heme DB and Manual. It was added to the 2012 Heme DB and Manual after repeated questions were received regarding this diagnosis. After further investigation, this term is being removed from the Manual and DB.

According to WHO, 'Plasma cell neoplasm' is an umbrella term that includes MGUS, plasma cell myeloma, solitary plasmacytoma of bone, immunoglobulin deposition diseases, extraosseous plasmacytoma, and osteosclerotic myeloma. Of these, only plasma cell myeloma, solitary plasmacytoma of bone, and extraosseous plasmacytoma are reportable. Physicians may use the term 'plasma cell neoplasm' when they are not sure what the specific disease is. Plasma cell neoplasm is not reportable; however, follow up on these types of patients is recommended because continued evaluation is likely to determine a more specific disease. A reportable neoplasm may be diagnosed at a later date.

Cases of plasma cell neoplasm diagnosed 2010 or later are not reportable. This change should not have taken place as a result of the update in the 2012 Manual. At this time SEER is not requiring registries to go back and review plasmacytoma or multiple myeloma cases that were collected based on this terminology.

SEER*Educate provides training on how to use the Heme Manual and DB. If you are unsure how to arrive at the answer in this SINQ question, refer to SEER*Educate to practice coding hematopoietic and lymphoid neoplasms. Review the step-by-step instructions provided for each case scenario to learn how to use the application and manual to arrive at the answer provided. https://educate.fhcrc.org/LandingPage.aspx.

2013
20130195 Laterality--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: Is laterality coded to 0 [not paired] for all lymphoma cases including paired sites (e.g., breast, lung)?

Laterality coding for lymphomas is based on the primary site not histology. Laterality describes the side of a paired organ or side of the body on which the reportable tumor originated. Determine whether laterality should be coded for each primary.

Laterality coding instructions are located in the SEER Program Coding and Staging Manual. See pages 68-70 in the 2013 manual,

http://www.seer.cancer.gov/manuals/2013/SPCSM_2013_maindoc.pdf.

 2013
20130002

Multiple primaries--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: How many primaries are accessioned, and what is the year of diagnosis, when the patient was initially diagnosed with poorly differentiated, diffuse lymphocytic lymphoma, small cleaved cell [9591/3] in 1991, followed by multiple recurrences and transformations? See Discussion.

5/1991 Left groin biopsy: Poorly differentiated, diffuse lymphocytic lymphoma, small cleaved cell [9591/3].

Subsequently, the patient had multiple recurrences.

7/1/08 Left axillary biopsy: Disease transformed to malignant lymphoma, large B-cell and a small focus of follicular lymphoma.

Patient was followed until there was no evidence of disease.

4/22/10 Left axillary biopsy: Recurrence of follicular lymphoma, grade 1. No large cell component was found. The bone marrow biopsy was negative for lymphoma. The patient was on observation.

11/02/10 MD note indicates the disease progressed to follicular lymphoma, grade 3. No large cell component was identified. The patient clinically has no evidence of disease on maintenance Rituxan.

For cases diagnosed 2010 and forward, access the Hematopoietic Database at http://seer.cancer.gov/seertools/hemelymph.

This case should be accessioned as a single primary, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (previously called poorly differentiated, diffuse lymphocytic lymphoma, small cleaved cell) [9591/3] diagnosed in 1991.

Determining the number of primaries is based on the rules in effect at the time of each diagnosis. The original lymphoma was diagnosed in 1991 and the first transformation to follicular lymphoma in 2008. The pre-2010 rules for coding histology and determining multiple primaries must be applied first because the rules changed for diagnoses occurring 2010 or later. Per the Single Versus Subsequent Primaries Table, poorly differentiated, diffuse lymphocytic lymphoma, small cleaved cell [9591/3] is the same primary as follicular lymphoma [9690].

The Heme DB and Manual are used to confirm that the 2010 recurrences of follicular lymphoma, grade 1 [9695/3], and follicular lymphoma, grade 3 [9698/3], are the same primary according to the Heme Calculator check required per Rule M15. Per the Heme DB page, the diagnoses follicular lymphoma, grade 3 [9698/3] and follicular lymphoma, grade 1 [9695/3] are comparable to follicular lymphoma [9690] as stated in the section.

SEER*Educate provides training on how to use the Heme Manual and DB. If you are unsure how to arrive at the answer in this SINQ question, refer to SEER*Educate to practice coding hematopoietic and lymphoid neoplasms. Review the step-by-step instructions provided for each case scenario to learn how to use the application and manual to arrive at the answer provided. https://educate.fhcrc.org/LandingPage.aspx.

 2013
20130192 MP/H Rules/Histology--Pleura: How is histology coded when the pathology report final diagnosis is "malignant neoplasm, compatible with malignant mesothelioma" if the COMMENT section of the pathology report indicates the tumor has a mixed epithelial and sarcomatoid pattern? See Discussion. This case was discussed with a pathologist who feels the correct histology should be biphasic mesothelioma (9053/3) because there are both epithelial and sarcomatoid components to this tumor. However, applying the current MP/H Rules, the histology is coded to 9050/3 (mesothelioma, NOS) because the term "pattern" cannot be used to code a more specific histologic type for invasive tumors. If this truly is a biphasic mesothelioma, that data is lost for researchers because the current MP/H Rules fail to capture this information. Should the term pattern be used to code the more specific histology in this case? Code the histology to malignant mesothelioma, NOS [9050/3]. Apply the MP/H Rules as written until they are revised. The word "pattern" and other terms will be reconsidered for the next iteration of the rules. 2013
20130221 MP/H Rules/Multiple primaries--Prostate: How many primaries are accessioned for a diagnosis of metastatic small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the prostate following a previous diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the prostate? See Discussion.

Would a second prostate primary with histology coded to 8041/3 [small cell carcinoma] be accessioned for the following examples? Or are these metastases despite the different histologies?

Example 1: Prostate adenocarcinoma diagnosed in 2001, no treatment given. Metastatic small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma diagnosed 03/2012 on liver biopsy with a physician's statement in 4/2012 that the prostate is likely the cause of the metastasis to the liver.

Example 2: Prostate adenocarcinoma diagnosed in 2006, treated with TURP. Bone marrow biopsy in 5/2012 shows involvement by metastatic small cell carcinoma with morphologic and immunophenotypic features that argue against prostatic adenocarcinoma. The oncologist assessment states, "The patient has Stage 4 small cell carcinoma of the prostate and the bone marrow biopsy path shows metastatic small cell carcinoma (likely prostate in origin)."

Accession two primaries, adenocarcinoma [8140/3] of the prostate [C619], followed by small cell (neuroendocrine) carcinoma [8041/3] of the prostate [C619] for each of the examples given per Rule M10.

In each case, the second histology (because it is not adenocarcinoma) is a new prostate primary. Small cell carcinoma and small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma are not adenocarcinomas. As a result they are not covered by Rule M3.

2013
20130019 Primary site--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: How is the primary site coded when a patient has a lymph node biopsy and peripheral blood that are positive for B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma but refuses a bone marrow biopsy?

For cases diagnosed 2010 and forward, access the Hematopoietic Database at http://seer.cancer.gov/seertools/hemelymph.

Code the primary site to C421 [bone marrow] per Rule PH5. Note 1 for Rule PH5 states CLL always has peripheral blood involvement. If the peripheral blood is positive for CLL/SLL and no bone marrow biopsy is done, code the primary site to C421 [bone marrow].

SEER*Educate provides training on how to use the Heme Manual and DB. If you are unsure how to arrive at the answer in this SINQ question, refer to SEER*Educate to practice coding hematopoietic and lymphoid neoplasms. Review the step-by-step instructions provided for each case scenario to learn how to use the application and manual to arrive at the answer provided. https://educate.fhcrc.org/LandingPage.aspx.

2013
20130219 Date of diagnosis/Ambiguous terminology--Breast: Can a mammogram BIRADS 4 or 5 assessment be used to assess reportability and can the date of the mammogram be used to code the date of diagnosis? See Discussion.

  1. Assessment: BIRADS category 4-suspicious. Findings are considered suspicious/indeterminate for malignancy

  • Assessment: BIRADS 5- highly suspicious. Findings are highly suggestive of malignancy.

  • Assessment: BIRADS 4- suspicious abnormality consider biopsy

    • Can the BIRADS number be used to assess reportability? Can a BIRADS assessment of "suspicious" be used to code the date of diagnosis?

    		BIRADS category 4 and category 5 mammograms are not to be interpreted as a reportable "malignancy" for cancer registry purposes nor are they to be used to code the date of diagnosis should the patient subsequently have a malignancy confirmed. 2013
    		20130056 Primary site/Histology--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: How are the site and histology fields coded if a bone marrow biopsy shows, "B-cell lymphoma, unclassifiable, with features intermediate between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma," but the patient has no palpable lymphadenopathy and no scans were done? See Discussion. Should the primary site be C779 or C421? Is the correct histology 9684/3 [malignant lymphoma, large B-cell, diffuse, immunoblastic, NOS]?

    For cases diagnosed 2010 and forward, access the Hematopoietic Database at http://seer.cancer.gov/seertools/hemelymph.

    Code the primary site to C421 [bone marrow] and the histology to 9680/3 [diffuse large B-cell lymphoma] per Rule PH26. B-cell lymphoma, unclassifiable, with features intermediate between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma is listed under Alternative Names section of the Heme BD for DLBCL [9680/3]. This patient has bone marrow involvement only. The Note for Rule PH26 instructs one to code the primary site to the bone marrow when all physical exams or work-up were negative for lymph node, tissue, or organ involvement OR no other work-up was done.

    The histology is not coded 9684/3 [malignant lymphoma, large B-cell, diffuse, immunoblastic, NOS]. This histology code became obsolete in 1/1/2010. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, immunoblastic variant is also listed under Alternative Names section of the Heme BD for DLBCL.

    SEER*Educate provides training on how to use the Heme Manual and DB. If you are unsure how to arrive at the answer in this SINQ question, refer to SEER*Educate to practice coding hematopoietic and lymphoid neoplasms. Review the step-by-step instructions provided for each case scenario to learn how to use the application and manual to arrive at the answer provided. https://educate.fhcrc.org/LandingPage.aspx.

    		2013