Report | Question ID | Question | Discussion | Answer | Year |
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20021055 | EOD-Extension--Liver: Can we use CT scan descriptions such as "portal vein thrombosis" or "extensive infiltration of the liver" or "diffuse infiltration of the liver" to code extension for liver primaries? See discussion. | 1. Would you code portal vein involvement for a CT scan description of "portal vein thrombosis"?
2. Would you code more than one lobe of the liver as involved for CT scan descriptions of "extensive infiltration of the liver" or "diffuse infiltration of the liver"? |
For cases diagnosed 1998-2003:
1. No. Thrombosis can be caused by non-cancerous conditions.
2. Yes. Code the EOD-Extension field to 65 [Multiple (satellite) nodules in more than one lobe of the liver] when "extensive infiltration" or "diffuse infiltration" is stated. |
2002 |
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20021205 | EOD-Extension--Melanoma: Is "erosion" synonymous with "ulceration" for melanoma cases? | For cases diagnosed 1998-2003:
No, do not interpret the term "erosion" as a synonym for "ulceration" when coding the EOD-Extension field for melanoma. According to AJCC's melanoma curator, erosion is not necessarily the same as ulceration. |
2002 | |
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20021077 | Histology (Pre-2007)/Primary Site/EOD-Extension--All Sites: How do you code these fields for a resected thyroid that is negative for any diagnostic abnormality and a left ovary that demonstrates "papillary thyroid carcinoma arising in a cystic teratoma"? See discussion. | Teratomas occurring in the ovaries frequently contain various types of fully differentiated tissue that normally occur in other body parts. Should the primary be coded to the ovary or to the organ in which that type of tissue normally occurs? | For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007:
Code the Primary Site field to the organ in which the cancer arose. For this tumor, code the Primary Site field to C56.9 [ovary] and Histology to 8260/3 [papillary carcinoma of thyroid]. Use the ovary EOD for tumors diagnosed 1998-2003.
For tumors diagnosed 2007 or later, refer to the MP/H rules. If there are still questions about how this type of tumor should be coded, submit a new question to SINQ and include the difficulties you are encountering in applying the MP/H rules. |
2002 |
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20021100 | Primary Site: How do we code the primary site for a malignancy that occurs in parenchyma located in an ectopic site? See discussion. | 1. Patient presented with a subcutaneous nodule in right axilla. Pathologic impression by initial and reviewing pathologists is that the lesion represents a breast adenocarcinoma arising in ectopic mammary parenchyma. Subsequent breast biopsies were negative. 2. Patient presented with right branchial cleft cyst. The pathologist states the cyst is a primary thyroid adenocarcinoma arising in an ectopic focus of thyroid tissue. The subsequent total thyroidectomy is negative. |
Code the primary site to the location of the malignancy.
1. Code the Primary Site field to C76.1 [Axilla NOS]. 2. Code the Primary Site field to C10.4 [Branchial cleft]. |
2002 |
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20021051 | EOD-Extension--Pancreas: Can you explain the difference between code 10 [confined to pancreas] and code 30 [Localized, NOS]. See discussion. | For example, a CT scan mentions no extension beyond the head, body or tail of the pancreas and there is no surgical resection. Should we code extension to 10 or 30? | For cases diagnosed 1998-2003:
Code the EOD-Extension field to 10 [confined to pancreas] because a scan supported the finding of no extension beyond the pancreas.
If the abstractor reviewing the medical record has scans, op reports, and/or pathology reports stating that the tumor is confined to the pancreas, code extension to 10 [confined to pancreas].
However, if the medical record only provides a patient history from a physician stating that the patient had localized pancreas, code extension to 30 [localized, NOS]. The NOS codes are used only when there is not enough information to code the specific codes (in this case, 10 or 20). |
2002 |
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20021058 | Multiple Primaries (Pre-2007)--Breast: When simultaneously diagnosed breast tumors of the same histology in the same breast are stated by the pathologist and/or clinician to be more than one primary, should these be reported as multiple primaries? See discussion. |
For example, based on special pathology studies that showed a difference in appearance between tumors, a pathologist may state that two ductal, NOS tumors diagnosed at the same time in the same breast represent two primaries. |
For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007: Code as a single primary. Follow the guidelines in the SEER Program Code Manual for determining multiple primaries. Simultaneous multiple lesions of the same histologic type in the same site (same breast) are a single primary for SEER, even though the pathologist may perform special studies and state that the patient has more than one primary. For tumors diagnosed 2007 or later, refer to the MP/H rules. If there are still questions about how this type of tumor should be coded, submit a new question to SINQ and include the difficulties you are encountering in applying the MP/H rules. |
2002 |
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20021079 | Primary Site/Histology (Pre-2007)/EOD Fields/Surgery of Primary Site--Abdomen, NOS: What codes are used to represent these fields for a case with a resection of the rectosigmoid and adjacent tumor mass that demonstrated no tumor in the rectosigmoid but extramural to the colon there was an endometrioid adenocarcinoma arising in association with an area of endometriosis (possibly within the pericolic soft tissue or in an ovarian remnant)? | For cases diagnosed in 2003, code to: Primary Site: C76.2 [abdomen, NOS] Histology: 8380/3 [Endometrioid adenocarcinoma] EOD size, extension, lymph node: 999, 99, 9 [Unknown] Surgery of Primary Site: 98 [All unknown and ill-defined disease sites, WITH or WITHOUT surgical treatment] Scope of Regional LN Surgery: 0 [None] Surgical Procedure of Other Site: 2 [Non-primary surgical procedure to other regional sites]. |
2002 | |
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20021003 | Multiple Primaries (Pre-2007): Whenever two hollow organs are diagnosed simultaneously with the same histology, one being invasive and the other in situ, can one assume that mucosal spread has occurred and that this situation represents one primary? In the absence of a physician statement, how do you determine mucosal spread from one organ to another? | For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007:
Yes, this type of situation represents one primary. A tumor that is breaking down can be invasive in the center with in situ cancer at the margins. Occasionally the in situ margin can move into a contiguous organ with the same type of epithelium.
Physicians may describe mucosal spread in various manners. You will see the terms "intramucosal extension," "in situ component extending to," or statements of an invasive component in one organ, with adjacent/associated in situ carcinoma in a contiguous organ with the same type of epithelium. A frequent example of this process is bladder cancer extending into the prostatic urethra via mucosal spread.
For tumors diagnosed 2007 or later, refer to the MP/H rules. If there are still questions about how this type of tumor should be coded, submit a new question to SINQ and include the difficulties you are encountering in applying the MP/H rules. |
2002 | |
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20021020 | First Course Treatment: 1) When is Decadron (Dexamethasone) coded as cancer treatment? 2) When Decadron is given to a patient with multiple myeloma, is it coded as treatment only if given in combination with chemotherapy? See discussion. |
SEER Book 8 states that Decadron is an important therapeutic agent for treatment of multiple myeloma. In the Abstracting and Coding Guide for the Hematopoietic Diseases, Decadron is a hormonal treatment for multiple myeloma "when given as part of a chemotherapy regimen". |
For cases diagnosed 1/1/2003 and after: 1. Code hormone therapy to 01. Code any therapy administered to treat cancer tissue that achieves its effect on cancer tissue through a change in the hormone balance in the hormone therapy field. Decadron is coded for leukemias, lymphomas and multiple myelomas primaries. It is coded for other sites only when stated to be cancer-directed treatment. 2. Code hormone therapy to 01. Decadron should be coded as hormone therapy for multiple myeloma when given alone or as part of a first course of treatment chemotherapy regimen. |
2002 |
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20021015 | Ambiguous Terminology/Reportability: How should the expressions "suspicious for but not diagnostic of" and "suspicious for the possibility of early invasive adenocarcinoma" be interpreted for reportability? Would the interpretation be different depending on the primary site? | For reportability, interpret "suspicious for but not diagnostic of" as NOT diagnostic of cancer.
The phrase "suspicious for the possibility of early invasive adenocarcinoma" may indicate that the case is in situ. If no further information is available, this is not reportable.
The site of the cancer diagnosis does not change the interpretation. |
2002 |