Report | Question ID | Question | Discussion | Answer | Year |
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20051072 | Primary Site/CS Extension--Lymphoma: Should CS Extension be coded to 22 [Involvement of spleen PLUS lymph node(s) BELOW the diaphragm] or 32 [Involvement of spleen PLUS lymph node(s) on both sides of the diaphragm] for the biopsy proven lymphoma in a retroperitoneal mass and a CT of the chest with nodes described as "indeterminate" or "calcified"? See Discussion. | It was diagnosed on CT-guided biopsy of retroperitoneal mass: obtained access to the posterior aspect of the lesion adjacent to the left side of the spinal column at approx the level of the kidney. CT Abdomen/Pelvis: Large low attenuation & smooth walled regions in hilum of the spleen & into the splenic parenchyma w/assoc smaller lesions in the spleen. Associated adenopathy on left side of aorta between the superior mesenteric artery & renal vein. Body of report: Soft tissue mass 4.4 x 4.8 x 7cm adjacent to the left side of the aorta & spanning the distance betw superior mesenteric vein inferiorly to level of left renal vein, appears to be matted adenopathy. CT Chest: indeterminate nodes in pretracheal region w/calcified nodes in infracarinal region, right perihilar region & calcifications in pulmonary parenchyma of right lung. Calcified nodes & other structures suggest healed granulomatous process. However, with the infarct/mass lesion in the spleen & left periaortic adenopathy, extension of this process to the mediastinum can't be excluded. |
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 primary site C772 [Intra-abdominal lymph nodes]. Assign CS extension code 22 [Involvement of spleen plus lymph nodes below diaphragm]. The description from the chest CT is not sufficient to code lymph node involvement above the diaphragm. |
2005 |
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20051018 | CS Lymph Nodes--Breast: Must there be a statement of "moveable" present to code 25 in this field and if a lymph node is not stated to be "fixed" is it presumed to be moveable? Please provide an example in your answer of when to use code 25. | 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. The word "movable" does not have to be used to assign code 25. A "movable" lymph node is an involved lymph node not described as fixed or matted. The general rule is to code the lesser or lower category, which would be the case if neither movability nor fixation is mentioned. See page C-471 of the 2004 SEER Manual.
Code 25 Example: Involved lymph nodes per lymph node dissection. No mention of fixation or matting. Size of largest met within a lymph node is 4mm. |
2005 | |
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20051139 | Date of Diagnosis--Lung: Should the diagnosis date be coded to the date of the scan or the date of the resection when there is a negative biopsy that occurs between the two procedures? See Discussion. | 11/2003 CT chest: 2 cm LLL mass should be considered carcinoma until proven otherwise. 2/2004 CT Chest: stable LLL mass still consistent with primary or metastatic lung neoplasm 11/2004 CT chest: LLL mass suspicious for slow growing carcinoma 3/2005 FNA L lung: atypical cells 4/2005 L lobectomy: well-diff adenocarcinoma |
Code the date of diagnosis as 11/2003. A clinical diagnosis was made on 11/2003 and this is the earliest date of diagnosis for this case. | 2005 |
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20051115 | Histology (Pre-2007)--All Sites: How are "malignant cells" in a cytology or "probably malignancy" in a CT scan coded? | For tumors diagnosed prior to 2007:
Assign code 8001/3 [Tumor cells, malignant] when the only information available is a cytology report stating "malignant cells." Assign code 8000/3 [Neoplasm, malignant] when then only information available is a CT report stating "probable malignancy." See ICD-O-3 page 27 for an explanation of "cancer" [8000] and "carcinoma" [8010].
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 | |
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20051022 | Primary Site--Breast: Would a tumor described as located "lower central" be coded to C501 (central) or C508 overlapping (lower)? | Code the primary site C501 [Central portion of breast]. Based on the description above, the tumor is located in the central portion of the breast. | 2005 | |
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20051110 | 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). | 2005 |
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20051145 | CS Extension/CS Mets at Dx--Colon: How is a small focus of metastatic disease in the submucosa coded for a sigmoid primary? See Discussion. |
Path final diagnosis states: "No lymph node metastases identified. One submucosal met in a block taken from a surgical margin section." Path micro states: "Microscopic involvement of the border between the serosa and muscularis propria. Sections of proximal & distal surgical margins reveal no tumor in one, and a small focus of metastatic disease in the submucosa of the other. This focus of tumor exists in a small vascular channel and is complete in and of itself; ie, it has not been cut thru by excision of the specimen from the patient." |
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. This submucosal metastasis does not affect CS extension. It is not part of CS or TNM staging. According to the TNM supplement, "Multiple tumour foci in the mucosa or submucosa ("skip metastasis") are not part of the TNM classification and should not be classified as distant metastasis. |
2005 |
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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 |
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20051075 | CS Extension--Breast: How is this field coded when path describes dermal lymphatic invasion of the nipple? See Discussion. | Example Multicentric infiltrating lobular carcinoma of left breast treated with MRM. Microscopic summary: Blood/lymphatic Vessel Invasion: present. Path final diagnosis: Angiolymphatic invasion present, including dermal lymphatic invasion in nipple. Micro: There is angiolymphatic invasion, including dermal capillary invasion identified in sections of the nipple. The path report describes multiple breast tumors, none of which is located adjacent to the nipple. |
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. Assign CS Extension code 20 [Invasion of subcutaneous tissue...] based on the final diagnosis on the path report. There is "dermal lymphatic invasion in nipple." In this case, the stage will be determined by the tumor size. |
2005 |
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20051036 | Date of Diagnosis--Sarcoma: Should the date of diagnosis be coded to the date of biopsy or the date of birth for an infant biopsied at 3 days of age and stated to have a diagnosis of congenital alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, widely metastatic? | Code the date of the biopsy as the date of diagnosis. This is the date the cancer was first identified by a medical practitioner. Note: SEER collects the Month and Year of diagnosis. The "day" of diagnosis is not collected by SEER. |
2005 |