| Report | Question ID | Question | Discussion | Answer | Year |
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20210027 | Reportability--Heme and Lympoid Neoplasms--Polycythemia vera: Is secondary polycythemia vera reportable? See Discussion. |
A physician stated the patient likely had secondary polycythemia vera due to cardiac and pulmonary conditions but that a polycythemia vera could not be ruled out. A JAK2 was ordered that was positive for JAK2 V617F mutation. The patient was treated with hydrea. According to SEER SINQ 20120049, secondary polycythemia vera is not reportable. However, in this case, the patient was positive for JAK2 V617F mutation. Therefore, is this reportable? We looked for guidance in the Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Neoplasms Database and found it confusing that secondary polycythemia vera was not mentioned or discussed under polycythemia vera in the database. The only thing we could find was secondary polycythemia NOS that was discussed under polycythemia. |
Abstract as a new primary for polycythemia vera, 9950/3. JAK2 is commonly used to assess suspected polycythemia vera and in this case, the mutation is positive for V617F. Based on the JAK2 results, this looks like a true polycythemia vera and not a secondary polycythemia. |
2021 |
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20210025 | 2021 SEER Manual/Primary Site--Ovary, Fallopian Tube: What information takes precedence for coding the primary site in cases with high grade serous carcinoma that are clinically called ovarian but on pathology, the pathologist calls the primary site fallopian tube and the gynecology oncology/managing phsyician continues to call the cases ovarian. Both the ovary and tube are involved. Sometimes also referred to as "tubo-ovarian." |
When the choice is between ovary, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal, any indication of fallopian tube involvement indicates the primary tumor is a tubal primary. Fallopian tube primary carcinomas can be confirmed by reviewing the fallopian tube sections as described on the pathology report to document the presence of either serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC) and/or tubal mucosal invasive serous carcinoma. If there is no information about the fallopian tubes, refer to the histology and look at the treatment plans for the patient. If all else fails, you may have to assign C579 as a last resort. Use text fields to document the details. For additional information, see the CAP GYN protocol, Table 1: Criteria for assignment of primary site in tubo-ovarian serous carcinomas. |
2021 | |
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20210045 | Update to Current Manual/Neoadjuvant Treatment: What codes should be used for Neoadjuvant Therapy--Clinical Response and Neoadjuvant Therapy--Treatment Effect when the neoadjuvant therapy is still in progress at the time the case is initially abstracted as with rapid reporting. There is no code for neoadjuvant therapy still in progress and code 9 generates an edit for Neoadjuvant Therapy--Clinical Response. |
Assign code 8 for Neoadjuvant Therapy--Clinical Response and assign a code 9 for Neoadjuvant Therapy--Treatment Effect when the treatment is still in progress. Revise these codes after the treatment has been completed. We will update the manual to include these instructions. |
2021 | |
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20210051 | Primary site/Biliary tract--Ampulla of Vater: What is the correct primary site code for intra-ampullary and periampullary adenocarcinoma, C241 (8144/3) or C249? See Discussion. |
Ampulla, biopsy: High grade dysplasia with focal intramucosal carcinoma in a background of ulceration with acute and chronic inflammation. Surgery pathology: Head of pancreas, duodenum, and distal stomach, pancreaticoduodenectomy-Ampulla, Adenocarcinoma, intestinal type, intra-ampullary and peri-ampullary (mixed type). Grade moderately differentiated, 1.5cm. Tumor invades into duodenal submucosa. Lymphovascular Invasion: Foci suspicious for lymphovascular invasion identified. Perineural Invasion: Present. Synoptic report: Tumor Site Intra-ampullary and peri-ampullary (mixed type). Histologic Type Adenocarcinoma, intestinal type. There is not enough information regarding site in radiology reports or operative report. CT-A/P/C:The patient's known ampullary mass is not well visualized on this exam. No significant intrahepatic or extrahepatic biliary ductal dilation is identified. The pancreatic duct is normal caliber. |
Assign C241. Ampulla (C241) includes both periampullary and intra-ampullary. |
2021 |
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20210055 | EOD 2018/EOD Primary Tumor--Tumor Size--Pathologic: How is Tumor Size--Pathologic coded when Extent of Disease (EOD) Primary Tumor is 800 (No evidence of primary tumor) and there has been no surgery to the primary site? See Discussion. |
The SEER Manual states to assign Tumor Size--Pathological code 000 when EOD Primary Tumor is coded to 800 (No evidence of primary tumor) for any schema. However, the definition of Tumor Size--Pathologic states that it records the size of a solid primary tumor that has been resected. If the primary site has not been resected (does not meet the pathologic staging criteria), then it seems that Tumor Size Pathologic should be 999 when EOD Primary Tumor is coded as 800. |
Assign code 999 for Tumor Size--Pathologic when there is no surgery of the primary site. Code 999 includes "No excisional biopsy or tumor resection done." |
2021 |
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20210062 | Histology/Reportability--Heme and Lymphoid Neoplasms: Is a case that is compatible with low grade myelodysplastic syndrome with multilineage dysplasia (MDS-MLD) reportable, and if so, is the histology plasma cell myeloma or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)? See Discussion. |
HL-7 e-path report, Final Diagnosis High normocellular marrow with maturing trilineage hematopoiesis, multilineage dyspoiesis, compatible with MDS-MLD and involvement by plasma cell neoplasm/myeloma, IgA kappa positive, approximately 20-25% of total cellularity present. See comment. Comments Correlation with other relevant laboratory (amount and type of serum and urine paraprotein levels, renal function tests, serum calcium level, and anemia) and radiologic (lytic bone lesions) findings is recommended for complete interpretation. Dyspoiesis of all lineages is seen and the findings are compatible with low grade myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS-MLD), assuming that other possible causes are excluded. Correlation with cytogenetic and molecular studies is recommended for complete characterization |
This case is reportable. Assign MDS, NOS (9989/3) based on the information provided for this case. “Compatible with” can be used for reportability; however, it cannot be used for assigning histology. There is no confirmed diagnosis of plasma cell myeloma/neoplasm; the comment specifically addresses the need for further evaluation of this case. |
2021 |
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20210065 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018/2021)/Histology--Lung: Should there be an exception to the Solid Tumor Rules for Lung to allow coding a more specific histology described by ambiguous terminology, when the only pathologic workup done is a cytology report? Due to the unique nature of lung cases which are often diagnosed on imaging and cytology without more definitive pathology, we are seeing many cases where the existing Solid Tumor guidelines result in very generic NOS histology codes. For example, lung mass found on imaging with a fine needle aspirate of a lymph node, final diagnosis "positive for malignancy" and comment "consistent with squamous cell carcinoma." See Discussion. |
The Solid Tumor histology coding guideline #3 for Lung states that an ambiguous histology can only be coded over an NOS when a physician clinically confirms it or the patient receives treatment based on the ambiguous histology; similar instructions exist in rules H3 and H12. We are in a central registry and don't typically have access to physician notes or treatment plans; unfortunately our hospital abstracts rarely document physician confirmation of ambiguous histology and we are uncertain if we should accept their coding of the more specific histology, assuming they did find clinical confirmation that was not documented. If not, our understanding of the Solid Tumor rules is that the histology in such a case would have to be coded as malignancy NOS (8000/3) per the non-ambiguous final diagnosis, and that we cannot use the more specific but ambiguous squamous cell carcinoma since we don't have definite clinical confirmation. We also have a fair number of cytology-only lung cases without any hospital information to clinically confirm an ambiguous histology. |
Code histology as squamous cell carcinoma, NOS (8070/3) using Lung Solid Tumor Rules, Rule H3 if no other information is available. Rule H3 states: If the case is accessioned (added to your database) based on a single histology described by ambiguous terminology and no other histology information is available/documented, code that histology. |
2021 |
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20210073 | Solid Tumor Rules (2018/2021)/Multiple Primaries--Corpus Uteri: How many primaries should be reported when a hysterectomy identifies primary endometrial carcinosarcoma (8980/3) and the endometrium has a background of endometrioid intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN) (8380/2)? A tumor size is provided for the carcinosarcoma, but not the background EIN. |
Patient was diagnosed with carcinosarcoma of Mullerian origin on omental/pelvic biopsies in March 2021. First course treatment was neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by July 2021 resection showing residual primary endometrial carcinosarcoma with cervical stromal invasion and involvement of bilateral tubes/ovaries, omentum, and mesenteric nodule. Additional findings included endometrium with background endometroid intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN). |
Abstract this case as a single primary and code histology as carcinosarcoma (8980/3). The carcinosarcoma is intermixed with the EIN making this a single primary coded to the invasive histology. EIN is a precursor of endometrial carcinoma in the WHO Classification of Female Genital Tumors, 5th edition. Carcinosarcoma of the uterus is described in the literature as an aggressive variant of endometrial carcinoma characterized by unusual histologic features including discrete malignant epithelial and mesenchymal components (carcinoma and sarcoma). |
2021 |
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20210074 | Update to Current Manual/Neoadjuvant Therapy--Pancreas: How are the neoadjuvant items coded for a patient who has unresectable pancreatic cancer and starts chemotherapy but will be evaluated after X cycles to see if patient may become a surgical candidate? |
Assign the neoadjuvant therapy data items as if the patient had neoadjuvant therapy. Neoadjuvant Therapy data item would be coded either code 1 or 2 depending on whether the chemotherapy was completed or not. In this case, they are a surgical candidate by having the chemotherapy with the plan from the beginning to evaluate the chemotherapy after X cycles to see if surgery can be performed. After the patient is evaluated, update the abstract as needed. |
2021 | |
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20210021 | EOD 2018/Regional Nodes--Breast: Should Extent of Disease (EOD) Regional Nodes be coded as 150 (Clinical assessment only; Positive needle core biopsy/fine needle aspirate [FNA]) when the patient has a biopsy-proven, clinically apparent, movable ipsilateral axillary lymph node, but no evidence of involvement at surgery after neoadjuvant therapy? See Discussion. |
The Breast EOD Regional Nodes notes contain new clarification regarding the clinical assessment vs. pathological assessment codes, but the new Note 2 does not specifically indicate an exception for neoadjuvant therapy. However, if the pre-treatment lymph node core biopsy proved cN1 disease, and the post-treatment resection proved ypN0 disease, should the clinical assessment code (code 150) have priority over any pathological assessment code (including 200) since the involved lymph node was only clinically positive and not pathologically positive? Should an exception be added to Note 2 to address cases where neoadjuvant therapy is given, but the clinical assessment is greater than the pathological assessment? |
The clinical assessment code takes priority over the pathological assessment code in this case because the clinical assessment was worse than the pathologic assessment. Although there was a pathological assessment, the clinical assessment is greater. According to the general coding guidelines for neoadjuvant therapy, code the worst information, which in this case is the clinical assessment. The 2018 EOD General Instructions for EOD Regional Nodes, instruction #4, addresses neoadjuvant therapy as follows. Neoadjuvant (preoperative) therapy: If the patient receives neoadjuvant (preoperative) systemic therapy (chemotherapy, immunotherapy) or radiation therapy, code the clinical information if that is the most extensive lymph node involvement documented. A new note is being included for the 2022 updates. Exception: If patient has neoadjuvant therapy, and the clinical assessment is greater than the pathological assessment, the clinical assessment code takes priority. |
2021 |
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