CS Extension--Cervix: How are "positive pelvic washings" coded for a cervical primary?
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.
According to the CS Steering Committee, positive pelvic washings for primary cervical cancer are not part of the staging criteria in the collaborative staging system (nor in TNM and FIGO). Document positive pelvic washings in a text field. The CS steering committee will add a statement to CS extension to clarify this for cervix uteri.
Reportability/Multiple Primaries (Pre-2007)/Histology--Anus: How many primaries exist if an 11/7/03 anal lesion presents with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with signet ring features and extensive mucin production and the 1/9/04 wide excision has adenocarcinoma and Paget disease (intraepidermal adenocarcinoma) extends to skin margin?
For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007:
This is a single primary: the adenocarcinoma with the Paget representing intraepithelial extension of the process. Tumor cells can invade from their place in the epithelium into the underlying stroma either at the primary site, or at their extension site (skin).
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.
CS Lymph Nodes--Breast: Which category has priority when both apply, "Regional lymph nodes, NOS" or "Stated as N_, NOS"? See Discussion.
Example: When there is a clinical diagnosis of axillary lymph node metastasis for a breast primary on a physical exam "Enlarged axillary lymph nodes suspicious for metastatic involvement", as well as a clinical N1 designation, do we code as 60 [Axillary LNS, NOS] or 26 [Stated as N1, NOS]?
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.For the example provided, assign code 25 [Movable axillary lymph node(s)...] for "Enlarged axillary lymph nodes suspicious for metastatic involvement." Code 60 [Axillary/regional lymph node(s), NOS] is the least specific and would not be used in this case because axillary nodes are defined in code 25. Code 26 is for cases in which "N1, NOS" documented by the physician is the only information available.
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].
Histology (Pre-2007)--Ovary: What codes are used to represent "mixed papillary serous and clear cell carcinoma" and "papillary serous carcinoma with focal clear cell features" of the ovary?
For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007:
Assign code 8323 [Mixed cell adenocarcinoma] to "mixed papillary serous and clear cell carcinoma." This is histology coding rule 3 in the 2004 SEER manual under single tumor (page 86). There is no other code for this mixture.
Example 1: 8323
Example 2: 8461 (clear cell is not coded according to Rule 6, page 87, because it is not the majority of the tumor).
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.
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.
CS Tumor Size--Breast: Is the largest focus or the total area coded for tumor size in a patient presenting with "scattered foci of DCIS, largest focus measuring 0.6cm. DCIS spans a total area of 2.1cm."
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 the size of the largest focus in CS tumor size. Code the tumor size for this case as 006 (6mm or 0.6cm).
Histology (Pre-2007)/Diagnostic Confirmation: Which histology code is preferred if the CBD brushing is positive for malignant cells, cytologically most consistent with ductal adenocarcinoma [8500/3], and the common hepatic artery lymph node biopsy has metastatic adenocarcinoma, consistent with cholangiocarcinoma [8160/3]?
For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007:
Assign histology code 8160 [Cholangiocarcinoma]. Code from the pathology specimen when available. In this case, the only pathology is from the lymph node specimen.
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.
CS Tumor Size/CS Extension--Brain and CNS: How are these fields coded for a glioblastoma multiforme occurring in a 3.5 cm tumor in the parietal lobe and a 3.0 cm tumor in the occipital lobe?
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.
CS Extension code is 10 [confined to cerebral hemisphere]. Record the size of the largest lesion in CS Tumor Size. Both the occipital and parietal lobes are supratentorial and confined to the cerebral hemisphere with no mention of crossing midline or involvement of ventricles.
Other Therapy: Can herbal therapy be coded when used as a single therapy or when used in combination with conventional therapy as a complimentary treatment? See Discussion.
Page 201 of the SPCM 2004, item #5, states "Assign code 6 for unconventional methods whether they are single therapy or given in combination with conventional therapy." This statement itself is ok but there is no guideline on the use of complementary therapy when it is given as the only treatment. The SPCM, 3rd editon, page 140 states: "Use code '6' for alternative and complementary therapies ONLY IF the patient receives no other type of treatment." There is no such statement in the SPCM 2004.
Assign code 6 for unconventional methods whether they are single therapy (alternative medicine is the only treatment) or given in combination with conventional therapy (complementary medicine plus conventional).
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