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20160064 | Behavior--Prostate: What is the correct behavior of intraductal carcinoma from a prostate biopsy with a Gleason score 4+4=8. While highly aggressive, but not suggestive of invasion, coding behavior as /2 seems inappropriate. |
WHO classifies intraductal carcinoma of the prostate 8500/2. According to WHO, "the hallmark of intraductal carcinoma of the prostate is a proliferation of prostate carcinoma cells that is within and may significantly expand the native prostatic ducts and acini, with the basal cell layer at least partially preserved." Further, differentiation between intraductal carcinoma and infiltrating high-grade carcinoma of the prostate may require basal cell stains. Under Prognosis, WHO states: " intraductal carcinoma of the prostate on prostate biopsies is often associated with high-grade cancer (with a mean Gleason score of 8) ." So while it may seem counter-intuitive, assign behavior code /2 when the diagnosis is intraductal carcinoma of the prostate. |
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20160057 | MP/H Rules/Histology--Prostate: What is the histology code for a prostate case whose histology reads “adenoca with mixed ductal and acinar variants? |
Assign 8523/3.
The 2013 revision to ICD-O-3 has a new code for mixed acinar ductal carcinoma; however, this new code will not be implemented in the U.S. until 2018 or later. Page 7 of the Guidelines for ICD-O-3 Update Implementation document released by NAACCR 1/1/2014 instructs us to use 8523/3 in the meantime. |
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20160030 | Reportability--Carcinoid: Is a diagnosis of carcinoid heart disease, based solely on clinical information and no pathology, reportable? |
Carcinoid heart disease is not reportable but this diagnosis indicates that the patient likely has a carcinoid tumor which may be reportable. Obtain further information. |
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20160011 | Reportability--Stomach: Are microcarcinoid tumors reportable? See discussion. |
SINQ 20081076 states carcinoid tumorlets of the lung are not reportable and are defined as being less than 5 mm in diameter and benign. Per the WHO Classification of Digestive Tumours, microcarcinoid tumors are precursor lesions/nodules measuring greater than 0.5 mm, but less than 5 mm (0.5 cm). Is the term microcarcinoid tumor equivalent to carcinoid tumorlet, and therefore not reportable? Or is a microcarcinoid tumor a reportable type of neuroendocrine tumor (NET)? |
Microcarcinoid and carcinoid tumors are reportable. The ICD-O-3 histology code is 8240/3. Microcarcinoid is a designation for neuroendocrine tumors of the stomach when they are less than 0.5 cm. in size. Neuroendocrine tumors of the stomach are designated carcinoid when they are 0.5 cm or larger.
The term microcarcinoid tumor is not equivalent to carcinoid tumorlet. |
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20160015 | Multiple primaries--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: Could you please clarify Note 2 found in Rule M10, which is " 'Transformations to' (acute neoplasms) and 'Transformations from' (chronic neoplasms) are defined for each applicable histology in the database." Do the neoplasms being considered have to contain the words 'chronic' and/or 'acute'? |
Hematopoietic neoplasms that transform generally don't have 'chronic' or 'acute' as part of their preferred name. The 'chronic' and 'acute' designations are determined by the usual course of the neoplasm. Chronic neoplasms are generally slow growing while acute neoplasms grow fast and are more widespread. Not all Hematopoietic neoplasms transform. Each neoplasm that has the ability to transform has the transformations listed under the 'Transformations to' and/or 'Transformation from' sections in the Hematopoietic database.
For example, Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (histology code 9680/3) has no histologies/neoplasms listed under 'transformations to.' This means that this neoplasm does not transform to any other neoplasm. There are multiple histologies/neoplasms listed under 'Transformations from' indicating the neoplasms listed under the Transformations from are the chronic neoplasms, and DLBCL is the acute neoplasm. If DLBCL (9680/3) occurs at the same time, within 21 days, or greater than 21 days of any of the histologies listed under 'Transformations From,' rules M8-M13 apply. If DLBCL (9680/3) occurred at the same time as a neoplasm not listed in the Transformations sections, the acute and chronic rules do not apply. |
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20160044 | MP/H Rules/Histology--Sarcoma: What is the appropriate histology code for a final diagnosis of undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma and/or pleomorphic sarcoma, undifferentiated? See Discussion. |
Does the Other Sites MP/H Rule H17 apply in this case, which results in coding the higher histology 8805/3 (undifferentiated sarcoma)? Or does the "undifferentiated" statement only refer to grade, which results in coding histology to 8802/3 (pleomorphic sarcoma)? |
Assign 8802/34 to pleomorphic cell sarcoma/undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. Pleomorphic is more important than undifferentiated when choosing the histology code in this case. Undifferentiated can be captured in the grade code. |
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20160051 | Diagnostic confirmation: When a CT guided Fine Needle Aspiration is performed and the pathology report indicates smears and cell block were prepared, if the diagnosis is positive for cancer, can you code diagnostic confirmation as 2 (positive cytology) because of the cell block? |
Yes, assign diagnostic confirmation code 2 for diagnosis based on smears and cell block from CT guided FNA. This reply pertains to solid tumors. |
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20160058 | First course treatment--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: Are blood thinners, e.g., warfarin, coded as treatment in the Other Therapy data item for polycythemia vera and myelodysplastic syndrome? See Discussion. |
Under the hematopoietic data base, treatment for polycythemia vera shows chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and phlebotomy. Essential thrombocytopenia shows blood thinners, anti-clotting medications, aspirin, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and other therapy (Anagrelide) (for essential thrombocythemia only) and watchful waiting (for asymptomatic patients). Myelodysplastic syndrome shows bone marrow transplant, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and stem cell transplant.
SEER*RX under warfarin says: Per the 2012 Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Neoplasm Case Reportability and Coding Manual (page 10), blood thinners and/or anti-clotting agents are to be coded as treatment (Other Therapy) for the following histologies: 9740/4 Mast cell sarcoma 9741/3 Systemic mastocytosis 9742/3 Mast cell leukemia 9875/3 Chronic myelogenous leukemia BCR/ABL 1 positive 9950/3 Polycythemia vera 9961/3 Primary myelofibrosis 9962/3 Essential thrombocythemia 9963/3 Chronic neutrophilic leukemia 9975/3 Myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm, unclassifiable. |
Based on information from the National Cancer Institute and the Food and Drug Administration, aspirin and/or other blood thinners are not valid treatment for polycythemia vera and myelodysplastic syndrome. These drugs are often given to relieve symptoms of the disease such as bone pain or side-effects of standard treatments including blood clots. The treatment information found on page 22 (2015 Hematopoietic & Lymphoid Neoplasms coding manual) will be updated and ICD-O-3 codes 9950/3 and 9975/3 will be removed from the list. SEER*RX has been updated to reflect this change. |
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20160079 | First course treatment/Chemotherapy: Is metronomic chemotherapy coded as chemotherapy? |
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. |
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20160041 | First course treatment/Surgery of Primary Site--Skin: How are Surgery of Primary Site and Surgical Procedure of Other Site coded for an eyelid skin primary diagnosed by punch biopsy and treated with an orbital exenteration? See Discussion. |
Unlike most other sites, there is no specific code for a radical surgical procedure of a skin primary. In this case, the patient was diagnosed with a sebaceous cell carcinoma of the lower eyelid skin by punch biopsy. The tumor was large and an orbital exenteration was planned. Despite the extensive surgery performed, skin margins were less than 1 cm. Is an orbital exenteration a "major amputation" (code 60) in this case? Given that the margins were not greater than 1 cm, codes 45 - 47 (which includes a minor (local) amputation) don't seem to apply. However, if this procedure cannot be classified as "minor amputation" then doesn't it seem overkill to refer to the procedure as a "major amputation"?
An alternative would be to code Surgery of Primary Site to 32 for the skin resection (punch biopsy followed by a gross excision of the lesion, margins less than 1 cm) and code Surgical Procedure of Other Site to 2 (non-primary surgical procedure to other regional sites) to record the removal of the globe and orbit as part of the orbital exenteration. Which is correct? |
There is a similar question in the FORDS forum of the CoC CAnswer Forum. CoC is the curator for the surgery codes.
Surgical Procedure to Primary Site - Gross excision of the lesion, code in 30s series Surgical Procedure to Other Site (removal of eye) - code 4
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