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20190068 | First course treatment/Scope of Reg LN Surgery--Breast: How is Scope of Regional Lymph Node Surgery coded when the operative report does not agree with the actual number and type of nodes removed? Are we attempting to capture the intended surgery or the type and number of nodes removed? See Discussion. |
Example 1: Operative report states the surgery is a right breast simple mastectomy. There is no lymph node removal documented or attempted; however, a single incidental intramammary node is found in the final pathology results. How should these nodes be captured in the Scope of Regional Lymph Node Surgery field? CAnswer Forum states to code Scope of Regional Lymph Node Surgery as 0 (No regional lymph nodes removed), see Scope LN surgery, incidental LN found on path, Breast. However, SEER Program Coding and Staging Manual 2018 instruction states: Code the removal of intra-organ lymph nodes in Scope of Regional Lymph Node Surgery. Example: Local excision of breast cancer. Specimen includes an intra-mammary lymph node. Assign code 4 (1 to 3 regional lymph nodes removed). The STORE 2018 Manual does not provide instruction for incidental nodes specifically, but does appear to be focused on capturing procedural intent. Example 2: Patient has bilateral breast primaries. Operative report states the surgery is bilateral simple/skin-sparing mastectomies with bilateral sentinel node biopsies and immediate reconstruction. However, pathology shows that the left breast specimens are labeled: (a) Left breast mastectomy, (b) Left sentinel lymph node biopsy, (c) Additional left lymph nodes biopsy, and (d) Left axillary contents biopsy. The total nodes removed for this case are: 2/2 positive SLN, 0/1 positive intramammary nodes, 1/1 positive additional lymph node, and 3/3 positive axillary contents nodes. How should these nodes be captured in the Scope of Regional Lymph Node Surgery field? |
Assign the best code in Scope of Regional Lymph Node Surgery to capture the type and number of nodes removed. Example 1: Code 4; 1 to 3 regional lymph nodes removed. There is no statement of the procedure being a SLNBx or dissection in the operative report; the pathology report identified one incidental regional lymph node. Coding instruction #4 example says to assign code 4 if there is a local excision of breast cancer and specimen includes an intra-mammary lymph node. Example 2: Code 6, Sentinel node biopsy and code 3, 4, or 5 at same time or timing not noted. The operative report describes sentinel node biopsies only and does not mention axillary lymph node dissection; however, the pathology report details other lymph nodes in addition to the SLNBx. In addition to the LSLNbx and left LN bx, the pathology report describes "Left axillary contents biopsy" and a total of seven lymph nodes removed. |
2019 |
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20190097 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018)/Multiple primaries--Lung: How many primaries are there and what M rules apply for multiple lung histologies in the left lower lobe (LLL) and right upper lobe (RUL) of the lungs? See Discussion. |
There is one tumor in the left lung that is acinar adenocarcinoma, 8551/3, and two tumors in the right lung, one of which is 8551/3 and a separate one that is mucinous adenocarcinoma 8253/3. 3/21/18- left robotic video assisted thoracoscopy with left lower lobe lobectomy: 2.5 cm adenocarcinoma, acinar predominant, margins negative 11/3/18- right upper lobe lobectomy: invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma, 1.7 cm, invasive adenocarcinoma, acinar predominant, 0.6 cm, margins negative If you start by comparing the 8551/3 left lung tumor to the 8253/3 right lung tumor, M6 applies and these would be separate primaries (seq 01 and seq 02). How would we handle the third tumor, 8551/3, in the right lung? Seq 01: 3/21/18- left lung primary 8551/3 Seq 02: 11/3/18- right lung primary 8253/3 Is the right lung tumor 8551/3 a third primary, and if so, which M rule applies? I cannot find a rule that seems to fit completely. Rule M6 may apply if you were comparing the right 8551/3 tumor to the seq 02 8253/3 tumor. But how would you know to use the seq 02 histology code 8253/3 or seq 01 histology code 8551/3 for the comparison? I think M9 was designed for situations where you have multiple tumors involving both lungs but they didn't biopsy all of them. Is that correct? If so, then we would be able to bypass M9. Would M11 apply since we already took care of two of the tumors with rule M6? If M11 doesn't apply, it seems like you would get to M14. |
Abstract two primaries applying Rules M6 and M9 s follows. First, assign a histology for each tumor. --LLL adenocarcinoma, acinar predominant 8551/3 --RUL invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma 8253/3 --RUL invasive adenocarcinoma, acinar predominant 8551/3 For the RUL, this is two primaries according to Rule M6, to subtypes in Column 3 of the histology table. For the LLL and RUL, this represents the same primary as these are the same histology according to Rule M9. |
2019 |
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20190104 | Histology--Corpus uteri: Is 8020/3 used for a predominantly dedifferentiated carcinoma with focal well-differentiated endometrioid adenocarcinoma diagnosed in 2018? See Discussion. |
After a little research, it appears as though Endometrial Dedifferentiated carcinoma is a relatively new term and is set to be included in ICD-O-3.2: http://www.iacr.com.fr/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=100&Itemid=577 If you look at the link on that page for All Additions, Changes, and Revisions to the ICD-O-3, 1st Revision for ICDO-3.2, there is 8020/3 Dedifferentiated carcinoma. Currently, 8020/3 is Carcinoma, undifferentiated, NOS. For 2018 diagnosis, would you use 8020/3 for a predominantly dedifferentiated carcinoma with focal well-differentiated endometrioid adenocarcinoma as stated in the pathology: Uterus, bilateral ovaries and fallopian tubes; supracervical hysterectomy/BSO: Predominantly dedifferentiated carcinoma with focal well-differentiated endometrioid adenocarcinoma in the endometrium, FIGO grade 1 Portion of omentum, omental/anterior abdominal wall/ round ligament/uterine/small bowel mesenteric tumor nodules all involved by dedifferentiated carcinoma. Synoptic reads as follows: Histological Type: Endometrioid carcinoma, NOS Dedifferentiated carcinoma predominantly Histological Grade: Endometrioid carcinoma, FIGO grade 1. |
Assign code 8380/3 for endometrioid carcinoma, NOS as this is listed as the histological type in the synoptic report. |
2019 |
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20190067 | Reportability/Histology--Breast: Is a breast mastectomy showing mildly atypical cells within the nipple epidermis which are suspicious for Paget disease of the nipple a reportable malignancy? See Discussion. |
Example: Left breast total mastectomy final diagnosis is incidental microscopic findings suspicious for early Paget disease of the nipple. The diagnosis comment states: The left breast mastectomy shows mildly atypical cells within the nipple epidermis which are suspicious for early Paget disease of the nipple. Additional sampling of the left breast was performed, and no evidence of atypical hyperplasia, in situ carcinoma, or invasive carcinoma within the left breast tissue was identified. Would this case be non-reportable using rationale similar to an early/evolving melanoma per SINQ 20180029? |
Code as 8540/3, Paget disease, based on the use of reportable ambiguous terminology (suspicious) listed in the 2018 SEER Coding Manual. In addition, Rule H8 of the 2018 Breast Solid Tumor Rules says to code Paget disease (8540/3) when the diagnosis is exactly Paget disease when a new tumor with no underlying tumor and the pathology documents invasive or unknown behavior. When two ambiguous terms are used and one is on the reportable list (suspicious) and one is not (early), accept the reportable term and report the case. See #1.b.ii on page 12 in the SEER manual, https://seer.cancer.gov/manuals/2018/SPCSM_2018_maindoc.pdf |
2019 |
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20190019 | Solid Tumor Rules 2018/Histology--Brain and CNS: How is histology coded for a single meningioma tumor when the histology is a meningioma comprised of multiple specific subtypes/variants? See Discussion. |
Example: Patient has a left cerebral meningioma that is meningothelial meningioma (9531) and two right-sided cerebral meningiomas: one that is transitional meningioma (9537) and the other that is meningioma, transitional and angiomatous, WHO Grade I. If the histology for the mixed tumor is 9534 (angiomatous meningioma), then there are three primaries. If the histology is 9537 (transitional meningioma), then there are two primaries. Per Table 6, angiomatous meningioma is 9534/0 and transitional meningioma is 9537/0. There is no mixed histology coding rule, or mixed histology meningioma code. There is also no default rule that would instruct registrars to code the numerically higher ICD-O code or to default to a meningioma (NOS) histology code. |
Code the histology for the meningioma, transitional and angiomatous, WHO Grade I to Meningioma, NOS (9530/0). Since a mixed meningioma ICD-O code has not been proposed by WHO, we consulted with our expert neuropathologist. The other option is to follow back with the pathologist and code what they feel is the predominant type. A new histology rule for coding mixed meningiomas will be added in a future update of CNS rules. |
2019 |
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20190037 | Solid Tumor Rules/Multiple Primaries--Breast: How many primaries should be abstracted for simultaneously diagnosed non-contiguous invasive duct carcinoma and mucinous carcinoma? Does rule M12 apply since the two histologies are on different rows of Table 3 of the Breast Solid Tumor Rules? See Discussion. |
Core biopsy of left breast at 2:00: Invasive ductal carcinoma, Nottingham score 6/9. Core biopsy of left breast at 4:00: Invasive mucinous carcinoma (variant of ductal carcinoma), Nottingham score 5/9. Post neo-adjuvant mastectomy: Main (largest tumor): Invasive ductal carcinoma, upper outer quadrant grade 2. Secondary tumor: mucinous carcinoma, grade 1 at 4:00. |
Abstract multiple primaries when separate, non-contiguous tumors are on different rows in Table 3 of the Breast Solid Tumor Rules. Use Rule M14 as each row in the table reflects a distinctly different histology, in this case, invasive ductal carcinoma (8500) and mucinous carcinoma (8480). |
2019 |
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20190071 | First course treatment/Surgery of Primary Site--Rectum: Please provide the correct surgery code for a laparoscopic transanal abdominal transanal (TATA) procedure with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) for rectal cancer following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. See Discussion. |
IMPRESSION/PLAN: Patient is a previously healthy middle aged woman with a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the rectum, clinical stage II (T3N0M0). We will proceed with a neoadjuvant course of radiation and concurrent chemotherapy (5-FU) to maximize local regional control and survival, and hopefully facilitate a sphincter-sparing resection in the future. The primary tumor and the pelvic nodes at risk will receive 4500 cGy delivered over 25 treatments. The primary tumor will subsequently receive an additional 1080 cGy delivered over 5 treatments, for a cumulative dose of 580 cGy. PATHOLOGY: Adenocarcinoma of the rectum, clinical stage II (T3N0M0). The patient is referred by (dr) for a neoadjuvant course of chemoradiotherapy. HPI: Patient presented recently with rectal bleeding and a change in bowel habits. Colonoscopy revealed an ulcerated mass located 4.0 cm above the anal verge. A biopsy was positive for invasive well-differentiated adenocarcinoma that arose from a tubular adenoma. A staging work-up demonstrated no evidence of metastatic disease. |
Code Surgery of Primary Site as 40, Pull through WITH sphincter preservation (colo-anal anastomosis). The TATA procedure is described as transanal abdominal transanal proctosigmoidectomy with coloanal anastomosis. We are assuming the BSO was not releated to treatment of the rectal cancer. Do not code it. You may document it in a text field. |
2019 |
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20190080 | Update to current manual/Surgery of Primary Site/Surgery codes--Melanoma: Can the operative report be used to assess margins if there is no residual melanoma on the wide excision and no margins stated, or if distance is not stated on the pathology report when there is residual melanoma? See Discussion. |
1) Is the operative report only used for margins when the wide excision states no residual disease and no margins are stated on path report? Or do you use the operative report too for margins when the wide excision has residual melanoma and margins are negative but distance is not stated on path report? Does it matter if there was residual melanoma on the wide excision or not as far as using the operative report for margins? 2) Do these rules only apply to melanoma cases or do they also apply to Merkel cell? 3) Did CoC and SEER both agree on this? Are they going to send out an update because this is not how I interpret what is in the STORE manual/SEER manual under the surgery codes. It might be good to send out an official update to the surgical coding rules if this is how we are to code now. |
1. You may take margin information from the operative report if it is missing from the pathology report when assigning the surgery codes for skin.
2. The rule applies to any skin malignancy for which the skin surgery codes apply. 3. SEER, CoC, NPCR, NCRA, NAACCR, and the Canadian registries participated in this decision. SEER is publishing this SINQ question for reference. |
2019 |
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20190004 | Systemic/Surgery Sequence: Does the Systemic/Surgery Sequence field apply to only the first surgery performed (Date of First Surgical Procedure) or does it apply to the most definitive surgery (Date Most Definitive Surgery) as well? See Discussion. |
Example: Bladder primary with transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT) on 2/17/2017 (Date of First Surgical Proc) followed by a second TURBT on 3/24/2017 (Date Most Definitive Surgery) with mitomycin C instilled on the second, most definitive TURB procedure. There is an edit failure (IFX166) when Systemic/Surgery Sequence is coded 5 (intra-operative systemic) and Systemic Date does not match Date of First Surgical Procedure. How should we capture the intra-operative systemic treatment during the second, most definitive TURB? Is the correct Surgery/Systemic Sequence code 3 (systemic after surgery) for this case because (intra-operative) chemo was technically given after the first surgery? |
Assign code 3 to Systemic/Surgery Sequence and document the intraoperative treatment in the text field. Surgery is defined as a Surgical Procedure to the Primary Site (codes 10-90), Scope of RLN Surgery (codes 1-7), or Surgical Procedure of Other Site (codes 1-5) in the 2018 SEER Manual. In this case, the treatment was after the first surgical procedure. |
2019 |
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20190062 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018)/Histology--Brain: How is histology coded for a left frontal lobe mass when the final diagnosis is malignant neuroglial tumor and the diagnosis comment describes multiple possible histologies? See Discussion. |
Left frontal mass biopsy diagnosis comment states: Given the synaptophysin and patchy CD34 staining of these cells, the possibility of ganglioglioma and pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma is raised. Astroblastoma and ependymoma were considered given the perivascular pseudorosettes, however GFAP staining is quite limited against these tumors. Reticulin stain shows limited perivascular reticulin staining however. Nevertheless, the necrosis, mitotic activity and elevated mitotic activity would point to a malignant neoplasm. Given the neural and limited GFAP staining, a generic classification of neuroglial is provided. This is the only available information. Further clarification or discussion with the physician or pathologist is not possible. Therefore, is this diagnosis of neuroglial tumor equivalent to that described in SINQ 20091037? |
Code to 8000/3. Use text fields to record the details. The WHO Revised 4th Ed CNS Tumors includes a chapter for "Neuronal and mixed neuronal-glial tumors. This chapter lists 13 histologies in this category. Glioneuronal NOS is not listed. Do not assign 9505 because ambiguous terminology was used AND because of the numerous possible histologies discussed for this diagnosis. |
2019 |
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