System Guide
Back to Search Results

Search Results

Display Options
Display Options
Select Fields
Export Results to CSV Create Report 0
+ Add all results to report

Report Produced: 04/29/2025 05:47 AM

Report Question ID Question Discussion Answer Year
20041096 Behavior Code--Breast: How is this field coded for a "non-invasive Paget disease of the breast?" See Discussion. Historically, SEER collected Paget Disease of the breast with a behavior code of 3 [invasive]. There is no documentation to support this. The SEER EOD Manual only states that if the code is "05" [Pagets disease (without underlying tumor)], the behavior must be a 2 [in situ] or a 3 [invasive].

Code the behavior as /2 [in situ] for noninvasive Paget disease of breast. Noninvasive is a synonym of in situ.

If the pathology report documents that the Paget disease is in situ, the matrix principle in ICD-O allows you to change the behavior code to match the pathologist's statement.

 2004
20041072 Histology (Pre-2007)--Colon: Must a case be specifically labeled "familial adenomatous polyposis" or is the mere presence of numerous/multiple polyps sufficient for coding the histology to FAP?

For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007:

The presence of numerous/multiple polyps is not necessarily adenomatous polyposis coli. Adenomatous polyposis is an extreme condition usually characterized by the presence of hundreds of polyps and should be identified as such either clinically or pathologically.

Look for the term "Familial adenomatous polyposis," FAP or one of its synonyms:

Adenomatosis of the colon and rectum [ACR]

Familial adenomatous colon polyposis

Familial colonic polyposis

Multiple familial polyposis

In the absence of these terms, the following probably indicate a diagnosis of FAP:

Hundreds of adenomatous polyps throughout large intestines, and at times, throughout the digestive system

Development of polyps as early as ten years of age, but more commonly at puberty

History of colectomy

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.

 2004
20041067 Histology (Pre-2007)--Lung: Does 8070 [squamous cell carcinoma], 8560 [adenosquamous carcinoma] or 8255 [adenocarcinoma with mixed subtypes] best represent this field for a lung biopsy described as a "poorly differentiated non-small cell carcinoma with squamous and glandular features with focal mucin positivity per mucin stain"?

For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007:

Assign code 8560/33 [Adenosquamous carcinoma, poorly differentiated]. "Glandular" carcinoma is a synonym for adenocarcinoma. Mixed adenocarcinoma and squamous carcinoma is coded to 8560. Do not use code 8255 [Adenocarcinoma with mixed subtypes] when a more specific complex code is available.

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.

 2004
20041099 First Course Treatment: If a patient makes a blanket refusal of all recommended therapy or refuses all treatment before any therapy was recommended, are only immunotherapy and hematologic/endocrine therapies to be coded as refused (code 87)? Or should all treatment modalities be coded as refused if a patient makes a blanket refusal? Or should none of the treatment modalities be coded as refused because we do not know what would have been recommended? See Discussion. Coding instructions for immunotherapy and for hematologic/endocrine procedures state that Code 87 is to be assigned if either of the following circumstances apply: 1) If the patient made a blanket refusal of all recommended treatment. 2) If the patient refused all treatment before any was recommended. These instructions are not included for other treatment modalities. When the patient refuses treatment, the first course of therapy is no treatment. Code all treatments as refused. 2004
20041005 EOD-Extension--Retroperitoneum: Does the presence of "necrotic masses, NOS" in the blood, which are not pathologically evaluated, affect the coding of this field? See Description. Encapsulated malignant tumor within the retroperitoneum was removed. Surgical report: "In the abdomen, blood had necrotic masses floating freely and encapsulated a 3-4" mass." No pathologic assessment of the necrotic masses is available. For cases diagnosed 1998-2003: Necrotic masses do not affect the EOD-extension code. 2004
20041024

Ambiguous Terminology/Reportability: Is the phrase "indicative of cancer" SEER reportable?

No. The phrase "indicative of cancer" alone is not a definitive cancer diagnosis. The word "indicative" is not on the list of ambiguous terms that is equivalent to a diagnosis of cancer.

 2004
20041076 CS Extension--Colon: What is the difference between codes 46 [Adherent to other organs or structures, but no microscopic tumor found in adhesion(s)] and 57 [Adherent to other organs or structures, NOS]? See Discussion.

Code 46 reads "Adherent to other organs or sturcture, but no microscopic tumor found in adhesion(s)".

Would these examples be coded to 46?

Example 1: 7/04 Op findings: mass was adherent to duodenum without obvious invasion. Path: margins negative (no mention of duodenum). Case staged to pT3.

Example 2: Op findings: large mass involving cecum adherent to peritoneum & retroperitoneum. Path: invasion of pericolic soft tissue; margins negative (no metion of peritoneum & retroperitoneum). Case staged to pT3.

This answer was provided in the context of CSv1 coding guidelines. The response may not be used after your registry database has been converted to CSv2.

Code 46: Attached to other organ (on imaging or surgical observation); pathology says no invasion of the other organ. Code 57: Attached to other organ; pathology is positive for invasion of other organ, or pathology does not specify whether there is invasion of the other organ.

Example 1: Code extension to 46 [Adherent to other organs or sturcture, but no microscopic tumor found in adhesion(s)]. The tumor was attached to the duodenum, but not invading

Example 2: Code extension to 46 [Adherent to other organs or structure, but no microscopic tumor found in adhesion(s)]. The tumor was attached to peritoneum & retroperitoneum, but not invading based on negative margins and no peritoneum or retroperitoneum specimen submitted to pathologist.

 2004
20041010 Multiple Primaries--Lymphoma: How many primaries should we abstract when Single Versus Subsequent Primaries table indicates one primary but special pathological studies indicate two primaries? See Description. The patient had a malignant lymphoma, large B cell (9680) diagnosed in 2000. In 2003, he came in and had a spleen biopsy which showed follicular lymphoma (9690). These are the same NHL, according to the table lookup. However, the pathologist states in 2003, "Special stains now show a kappa clonal lymphoma. Since the first diagnosis was a lambda monoclonal lymphoma, this is not felt to be a recurrence of the original lymphoma."

For cases diagnosed prior to 1/1/2010:Abstract the example above as two primaries. Hematologic malignancies (including lymphoma) and solid tumors are handled differently when determining the number of primaries. For hematologic malignancies, take the physician's opinion into account. Use the Single Versus Subsequent Primaries of Lymphatic and Hematopoietic Diseases table as an aid when there is insufficient information available.

For solid tumors, follow the multiple primary rules in the SEER Program Code Manual.

For cases diagnosed 2010 forward, refer to the Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Neoplasm Case Reportability and Coding Manual and the Hematopoietic Database (Hematopoietic DB) provided by SEER on its website to research your question. If those resources do not adequately address your issue, submit a new question to SINQ.

 2004
20041013 Primary Site--Ovary/Peritoneum: Should this field be coded to ovary or peritoneum when the bulk of the tumor is in the peritoneum and there is only surface involvement of the ovary?

If it is not clear where the tumor originated, use the following criteria to distinguish ovarian primaries from peritoneal primaries.

The primary site is probably ovarian, unless:

--Ovaries have been previously removed

--Ovaries are not involved (negative)

--Ovaries have no area of involvement greater than 5mm.

Descriptions such as "bulky mass," "omental caking" probably indicate an ovarian primary.

Descriptions such as "seeding," "studding," "salting" probably indicate a peritoneal primary.

 2004
20041054 CS Extension--Prostate: For a tumor that is clinically inapparent, but a biopsy from the prostatic apex is positive, is this field coded to 15 [Tumor identified by needle biopsy, e.g., for elevated PSA (clinically inapparent)]?

This answer was provided in the context of CSv1 coding guidelines. The response may not be used after your registry database has been converted to CSv2.

Yes. Code CS Extension-Clinical Extension to 15 [Tumor identified by needle biopsy, e.g., for elevated PSA (clinically inapparent)] for clinically inapparent prostate cancer with positive apex biopsy.

 2004