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20170020 | Size of tumor--Breast: Please clarify guideline #7 if the only size you have is from a CORE biopsy specimen and imaging only states nonspecific sizes, like "architectural distortion" or "calcifications" and a core biopsy pathology reports invasive tumor spans 5mm. Do you use the core biopsy size, or use 999 for clinical tumor size? See discussion. |
SEER Program Coding and Staging Manual 2016 states: Record size in specified order using a. The largest measurement of the primary tumor from physical exam, imaging, or other diagnostic procedures before any form of treatment. See Coding Instructions 7-9 below. b. The largest size from all information available within four months of the date of diagnosis, in the absence of disease progression when no treatment is administered. #7 Priority of imaging/radiographic techniques: Information on size from imaging/radiographic techniques can be used to code clinical size when there is no more specific size information from a biopsy or operative (surgical exploration) report. It should be taken as a lower priority, but over a physical exam. |
Do not code size of tumor based on the size of the core biopsy. If the statement "invasive tumor spans 5mm" from the core biopsy report represents the surgeon's assessment of tumor size, use this information to code tumor size when no other information is available. |
2017 |
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20170070 | Primary Site/Histology--Urinary: Is a urethral lesion showing intraductal carcinoma of the prostate reportable? What is the primary site and histology code? See discussion. |
Pathology report diagnosis: Urethral lesion: Intraductal carcinoma of the prostate, see microscopic. Clinical Information: Urethral Lesion/Hematura. Microscopic Description: The biopsy shows dilated ductal structures filled with anaplastic epithelium showing areas of comedo-type necrosis. The tumor cells have enlarged nuclei prominent nucleoli and mitoses are identified. Surrounding benign prostatic tissue is also present. Immunostains show that the tumor cells stain for PSA, PSAP, P504s but are negative for GATA-3. The other components of the PIN 4 stain CK5/14 and P63 stain the basal cells surrounding the tumor confirming the intraductal nature of the process. Intraductal carcinoma should not be confused with high grade PIN as the former is usually associated with high grade invasive tumor. Is this C619 and 8500/2? |
The primary site is prostate, C619, and the histology is intraductal carcinoma, 8500/2. Further workup on this case is likely. If more information is received, review this case and update if needed. |
2017 |
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20170028 | MP/H Rules/Histology--Kidney: How should histology be coded for a clear cell renal cell carcinoma when the CAP protocol indicates sarcomatoid features are present? See Discussion. |
Sarcomotoid (8318) is listed as a specific renal cell subtype in the MP/H manual, but it is not listed as a renal cell subtype in the most recent WHO blue book for Urinary Organs. We are wondering if sarcomatoid features, as listed in the CAP protocol format in the following example, should be ignored when coding histology? Left kidney, radical nephrectomy: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma, with the following features: Tumor size: 8.5 X 6 cm. Tumor focality: Unifocal. Macroscopic extent of tumor: Tumor limited to kidney. Sarcomatoid features: Present (<20% of tumor shows sarcomatoid features). Histologic grade: G4. Microscopic tumor extension: Tumor limited to kidney. Margins: All margins negative for invasive carcinoma. Lymph-vascular invasion: Not identified. |
Code 8255 (adenocarcinoma with mixed subtypes). The Multiple Primaries/Histology Rule H6 applies as there are two or more specific renal cell carcinoma types, clear cell and sarcomatoid (Spindle cell), as listed in Table 1 of the kidney Terms and definitions. |
2017 |
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20170025 | MP/H Rules/Multiple primaries--Breast: Is this the same primary per MP/H Rule M10? Ductal carcinoma of the left breast in 2013, treated with a lumpectomy. New tumor with ductal and lobular carcinoma in the same breast in 2016. |
The 2016 diagnosis is the same primary. MP/H Rule M10 for breast cancer applies. Do not change the original histology code. Use text fields to document the later histologic type -- duct and lobular. |
2017 | |
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20170051 | Reportability--Liver: Is intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of the liver a reportable diagnosis? See Discussion. |
Pathology shows: Right liver lobe, partial hepatectomy " intraductal papillary neoplasm with high grade dysplasia. |
Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of the liver with high grade dysplasia is reportable. While most IPMNs arise from the pancreas, there exists a subset of IPMN of the biliary tract (BT-IPMN). Code as 8453/2. For more details, see the Reportability section of the SEER manual, https://seer.cancer.gov/manuals/2016/SPCSM_2016_maindoc.pdf |
2017 |
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20170052 | MP/H Rules/Histology--Bladder: Is urothelial carcinoma, high-grade, predominantly solid type, coded as 8120/3 or 8230/3? See Discussion. |
Urinary bladder: Invasive urothelial carcinoma, high-grade, 4.5cm, predominantly solid type, arising in background of carcinoma in-situ, carcinoma grossly extends into perivesical adipose tissue; lymph-vascular invasion is seen. |
Assign histology code 8120/3, urothelial carcinoma, NOS. Solid type is not a recognized variant of urothelial tumors and likely represents the appearance of the urothelial cells within the tumor and not a specific histologic type. |
2017 |
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20170061 | MP/H Rules/Histology--Thyroid: What is the correct histology when final diagnosis of a thyroidectomy includes the descriptor "papillary and follicular architecture?" See Discussion. |
Total thyroidectomy Final Diagnosis: Papillary carcinoma, classical type, with papillary and follicular architecture. The 2007 MP/H rules state that the term architecture is reserved for coding subtype of in situ primaries only. However, SINQ 20130165 appears to indicate this should be coded for invasive thyroid subtypes as well. Can you confirm the addition of the term architecture for determining an invasive histologic subtype for thyroid? |
Assign code 8260/3, papillary carcinoma per Multiple Primaries/Histology Rule H14. Architecture is reserved for coding subtype of in situ primaries only. SINQ 20130165 is not intended to indicate this should be coded for invasive thyroid subtypes. |
2017 |
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20170011 | MP/H Rules/Multiple primaries--Breast: Can we accession two breast primaries when imaging is "suspicious for malignancy" on both breasts but only one biopsy is taken and is histologically confirmed, and assume bilateral complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with bilateral mastectomies negative for residual cancer? See Discussion. |
The patient is diagnosed by bilateral mammograms suspicious for malignancy in both breasts. A biopsy is done on one breast and is positive. The physician states that he will not biopsy the contralateral breast, as the patient has consented to bilateral mastectomy. The patient receives neoadjuvant chemo, follow by bilateral mastectomies. Both breasts are negative for residual cancer, stated as a complete response. Based on "suspicious for malignancy" can we accession two primaries and assume bilateral complete response? |
Accession two breast primaries, one right and one left, rule M7. "Suspicious" is reportable ambiguous terminology. |
2017 |
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20170075 | MP/H Rules/Behavior--Breast: How many primaries are to be abstracted for a patient with a history of left breast ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) diagnosed in 2014 and bone lesions showing metastatic carcinoma consistent with a breast primary in 2017? See Discussion. |
Patient was diagnosed with DCIS of the left breast in June 2014. The patient had a simple mastectomy with 2 axillary lymph nodes removed. The final diagnosis was intermediate to high grade ductal carcinoma in situ, predominantly micropapillary type, forming a 1.4 cm mass. No invasive carcinoma identified. Margins negative. In April 2017, the patient was found to have parietoccipital bone lesions, which were resected. The resulting diagnosis was metastatic carcinoma, morphologically consistent with breast primary " See Comment: The previous breast lesion is not available for review at the time of signout. However, the tumor is morphologically compatible with a breast primary. SINQ 20110111 would not make this is new primary. However, it seems that rule M8 might apply. An invasive tumor following an in situ tumor more than 60 days after diagnosis is a multiple primary. See Note 2: Abstract as multiple primaries even if the medical record/physician states it is recurrence or progression of disease. |
Assuming there were no other breast or any other tumors for this patient, change the behavior code to /3 on the original abstract for the 2014 breast primary. Similar to SINQ 20110111, there was likely a focus of invasion present in the original tumor that was not identified by the pathologist. The behavior code on the original abstract must be changed from a /2 to a /3 and the stage must be changed from in situ to localized. The MP/H rules do not apply to metastases. Therefore, rule M8 cannot be used. |
2017 |
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20170058 | MP/H Rules/Histology--Lung: What is the correct histology code for an initial biopsy of non-small cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine phenotype, possible large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma with a subsequent re-biopsy showing poorly differentiated small cell carcinoma after chemotherapy with no response? See discussion. |
Patient had a biopsy in April 2014; pathology was reported as non-small cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine phenotype, possible large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. The patient had five cycles of cisplatin/etoposide with no response. In May 2015, a re-biopsy at a referral institution reports poorly differentiated small cell carcinoma and states "feels that this could have been the histology all along and why patient has failed multi lines of chemo." |
Code to 8041, small cell carcinoma, because the medical opinon confirms that this was the correct histology from the begining. "Possible" is not an ambiguous term used to code histology. The MP/H rules do not include coding phenotype. That leaves non-small cell (8046/3) at time of diagnosis. Chemotherapy does not alter cell type so its likely the tumor was small cell all along only now proven with additional testing. Page 14 of the SEER Coding Manual gives examples of when to change the abstract's original codes and here is one example: When better information is available later. Example 1: Consults from specialty labs, pathology report addendums or comments or other information have been added to the chart. Reports done during the diagnostic workup and placed on the chart after the registrar abstracted the information may contain valuable information. Whenever these later reports give better information about the histology, grade of tumor, primary site, etc., change the codes to reflect the better information. |
2017 |
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