Report | Question ID | Question | Discussion | Answer | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
20051102 | CS Extension--Breast: What is the CS Extent for this 2004 breast cancer? See Discussion. | A patient had lobular carcinoma of the left breast in 2000. At that time, she had bilateral simple mastectomies and the right breast was benign. In 2004, she notices a nodule in the right chest wall, which is excised and found to be invasive ductal ca and lobular ca in situ. So is this Sequence 2, C50.9, 8522/3. And what is the CS Extent - 40 chest wall? (The physician stages this as T2N0M0) | 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.Residual breast tissue is present following a mastectomy. If the nodule is in the breast tissue (tissue above the ribs), assign CS extension code 10 [Confined to breast tissue...Localized, NOS]. If the nodule is in the chest wall (tissue below the ribs), assign code 40 [Invasion of chest wall]. |
2005 |
|
20051040 | Primary Site--Sarcoma: What is the correct topography code for a partial lung lobectomy with pathology diagnosis of "pulmonary sarcoma with smooth muscle differentiation"? See Discussion. | Operative report: palpable 2x2cm mass in the mediastinal surface of the rt middle lobe and the contiguous upper lobe together.
Path comment after partial lung lobectomy: In all likelihood this is a malignant process occurring in smooth muscle changes surrounding vessels within the lung versus an undifferentiated epithelial tumor.
ADDENDUM DX: low grade pulmonary sarcoma with smooth muscle differentiation.
Consultant's report concurs with that of the original pathologist's report of malignant neoplasm compatible with smooth muscle origin. |
This case is unique. Assign topography code C493 [Connective, subcutaneous and other soft tissue of thorax]. Based on the information provided, this sarcoma has smooth muscle differentiation and originated in the muscle. Code the primary site to muscle. | 2005 |
|
20051002 | CS Tumor Size/CS Site Specific Factor 6--Breast: How are these fields coded for a tumor stated to have only in situ disease in the breast with bone metastasis identified on scan? See Discussion. | 4/20/04 Quadrantectomy: "Tumor involves a significant portion of the biopsy and is estimated at 10 cm in greatest dimension." The only other mention of size is from imaging studies which is 3.5 cm. The histology is "high grade ductal carcinoma with comedo necrosis. No invasive carcinoma identified." Bone scan on 4/20/04 shows "widespread metastatic disease to bone." By rule the behavior code for this case is changed to malignant. | 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 tumor size as 100 [10 cm]. Size from pathology or operative report is preferred over size from imaging.
Code SSF6 as 050 [Invasive and in situ components present, size of entire tumor coded in CS Tumor Size because size of invasive component not stated and proportions of in situ and invasive not known.]
There is invasive tumor present (as proven by the bone metastasis), but the size and proportion of the invasive component is unknown.
Please note: Extension must be coded at least to 10 [Confined to the breast tissue and fat including nipple and areola; Localized, NOS] in this case. Do not assign extension code 00 [in situ]. |
2005 |
|
20051023 | Reportability/Recurrence (Pre-2007)--Bladder: If a patient has had recurrent invasive bladder cancers since 1971, should the latest recurrence in 2003 be SEER reportable because the case has yet to be reported to SEER? |
For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007: Because this 2003 recurrent bladder cancer was initially diagnosed prior to 1973, it is not reportable to SEER. 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. |
2005 | |
|
20051033 | CS Site Specific Factor--Melanoma: What is the correct code for measured thickness in SSF 1 for a melanoma of the choroid without an enucleation? See Discussion. | CS Site Specific Factor 1 for melanoma of the choroid codes "Measured Thickness (Depth), Breslow's Measurement." The note for this field states "Record actual measurement in millimeters from the pathology report." For melanoma of the eye, there is often only an eye exam report stating the thickness. Can PE thickness (clinical statement only) be coded for SSF 1 or is this field coded only from pathology? (i.e., all cases treated without enucleation would have this field coded to 999) | 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 SSF 1 999 [Unknown] when there is no enucleation, and therefore, no pathology report for a choroid melanoma. |
2005 |
|
20051131 | Recurrence/Multiple Primaries (Pre-2007)/Primary Site--Breast: Is a malignancy that occurs in 2005 in a mastectomy scar years following an original diagnosis of breast cancer in 1971 a recurrence (not reportable) or a new primary (breast or chest wall, NOS)? See Discussion. |
The patient had a right mastectomy for breast carcinoma in 1971. In 2005, she came in with a mass in the right axilla and a right chest wall mass in the mastectomy scar. Excision of the axillary mass and biopsy of the chest wall mass revealed invasive adenocarcinoma with a similar histologic pattern. The axilla specimen contained no benign breast tissue. IHC stains exhibit strongly positive for ER, mildly positive for PR and negative for HER2/neu. The pathologist says "Although these findings are consistent with recurrent breast carcinoma, they are not specific for such. Recurrence after 34 yrs. is most unusual." |
For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007: The 2005 diagnosis is a new primary. The 1971 site differs from the 2005 site and there are more than two months between the two. Without further information, assign topography code C761 [chest wall]. The pattern of spread, including regional extension, is different for a primary of the chest wall compared to a primary in the breast. Coding the primary site to C761 will group this case with similar cases. If further information can be obtained, look for old records that describe the extent of the 1971 mastectomy. It is possible that there was breast tissue left on the chest wall. Residual breast tissue is often present following mastectomy (simple, modified, or even radical). New carcinoma can develop in the remaining breast tissue. 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. |
2005 |
|
20051124 | CS Site Specific Factor--Prostate: Are the EOD guidelines developed for coding apex involvement still in effect for determining the code for apical involvement in SSF 4? See Discussion. | How do the old prostate codes 31, 33, and 34 correspond to the new SSF 4 field? Because "arising in" or "extending into" apex is rarely, if ever, stated, previous SEER guidelines instructed us to use code 33 for "apex only" involvement, and code 34 for "apex and any other area of prostate". Code 31 [into/arising, NOS] was to be avoided. | 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.No, the EOD guidelines for coding apex involvement are not in effect for coding SSF4. The codes for CS site specific factor 4 include code 2 [into prostatic apex/arising in prostatic apex, NOS]. When it cannot be determined if apical involvement is arising in, or extending to, the apex, use code 2. |
2005 |
|
20051012 | Reportability: Are malignant tumors of genital skin reportable? On page 1 of the 2004 SEER Manual, Reportable Diagnoses, 1.b.i. Exceptions: malignant and invasive histologies not required by SEER - Skin. There is no longer a note that states that lesions ARE reportable for skin of the genital sites. Has SEER discontinued the collection of malignant skin tumors of the genital sites OR is the manual in error? | The histologies listed in the exception on page 1 are NOT reportable when the topography code is C440-C449. The manual specifically lists the topography codes in 1.b.1. Diagnoses with the listed histologies ARE reportable when the topography code is NOT C440-C449. Genital skin sites are not coded C440-C449 so a note is not needed. | 2005 | |
|
20051142 | Reportability--Skin: Is a non-small cell carcinoma [8046/3] of the skin SEER reportable? |
Non-genital skin primaries with a histology code equal to or less than 8110 are not reportable to SEER; therefore, the combination of C44_ and 8046/3 is not reportable. |
2005 | |
|
20051059 | Behavior/Date of Diagnosis--Lung: If the term "Pancoast tumor, NOS" is malignant by definition, should the date of diagnosis be coded to the date of the clinical diagnosis when the clinical diagnosis is made prior to the histologic confirmation of the malignancy? |
Yes, Pancoast tumor is by definition malignant. It is defined as a lung cancer in the uppermost segment of the lung that directly invades into the brachial plexus (nerve bundles) of the neck, causing pain. If a Pancoast tumor was identified on imaging prior to the biopsy, the date of diagnosis should be linked to the Pancoast tumor report. |
2005 |