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Report Produced: 01/18/2025 14:43 PM

Report Question ID Question Discussion Answer Year
20230029

Primary Site--Skin:  Are perianal skin primaries within 5 cm of the anus coded as perianal skin (C44.5) or anus (C21.0).  See Discussion.

ICD-O-3 tells us that perianal skin is C445 and we do not capture basal or squamous cell skin cancers in our registry. The AJCC manual stages perianal skin cancers within 5 cm of the anus with the anus chapter.  We cannot AJCC stage them as an anus if we are not capturing them as C445.  I realize we do not code a site in order to stage. We have been following the reportability rules and not capturing. Is this correct? I do not see this addressed in the new Other Sites Solid Tumor Rules.

Code primary site based on the site of origin as determined by the physicians. If the physicians state the site of origin is anus, code anus; the same as with skin. As you state, squamous cell cancer of sites coded to C44 is not reportable.  The AJCC instruction for physicians to stage perianal neoplasms within 5 cm of the anus using the Anus chapter does not change cancer registry instructions for coding primary site, nor does it affect cancer registry reportability instructions.

 2023
20150054

Primary Site--Skin: Should cutaneous leiomyosarcoma be coded to primary skin of site (C44_) or soft tissue (C49_)?

Code cutanteous leiomyosarcoma to skin. Leiomyosarcoma can originate in the smooth muscle of the dermis. The WHO classification designates this as cutaneous leiomyosarcoma. The major portion of the tumor is in the dermis, although subcutaneous extension is present in some cases.

2015
20150052

Primary Site--Sarcoma: What is the best primary site code for an undifferentiated sarcoma of the pulmonary artery? See discussion.

Consolidation of the case: The operating hospital stated: SOFT TISSUE: Resection: Procedure: Radical resection Other: Pneumonectomy Tumor Site: Right pulmonary artery - They used code C383 (mediastinum NOS).  The consulting hospital stated: Lung, right, pneumonectomy: High grade sarcoma consistent with intimal sarcoma; tumor involves pulmonary artery.  They used code C449 (other soft tissue NOS).  Would C493 (soft tissue thorax) be correct?

Code the primary site to pulmonary artery, C493. According to the WHO classification of tumors, intimal sarcomas are malignant mesenchymal tumors arising in large blood vessels. They show mostly intraluminal growth with obstruction of the vessel. They may occur in the pulmonary vessels or, less often, in the aorta.

2015
20180056

Primary Site--Ovary: How should primary site be coded for a previously diagnosed ovarian cancer which is now being reclassified as fallopian tube? See Discussion.

There is a group of patients diagnosed within the past few years with ovarian cancers who are now enrolled in a clinical trial and are being screened as potential patients for a particular protocol. The screening for these particular cases is being done by a pathologist who has a particular interest in GYN pathology. As the pathologist is screening the cases, there are some which the pathologist is reclassifying as being fallopian tube primaries rather than ovarian primaries. This is apparently due to newly emerging findings and literature. The problem for me is that these cases have been entered into the registry as ovarian primaries, which was correct as of the time of the initial diagnosis. Should the abstracts remain as they were initially coded, since the diagnosis was ovarian cancer at the time they were diagnosed, or should these cases be updated to reflect the current pathologist's interpretation that these are fallopian tube primaries?

Do not change the primary site in this situation. Since the review was done for a clinical trial and the change was not officially made in the patient's medical record, the primary site remains ovary for the cancer registry. Add an explanatory note in a text field for future reference.

 2018
20150025

Primary Site--Lung: What are the guidelines for coding primary site when a lung tumor is described as a hilar mass? See discussion.

At a recent meeting, one registry stated that they apply the following guidelines.

1) If the tumor is described as a hilar mass and there is no mention of LN involvement, Primary Site is coded to hilum (C340)

2) If there is LN involvement along with the mention of a hilar mass, then Primary Site is coded to C349

Assign primary site code C340 when a lung tumor is described as a hilar mass.

2015
20150059

Primary Site--Liver: What is the topography code for combined hepatocellular carcinoma/cholangiocarcinoma (M-8180/3) especially when there is no documentation that intrahepatic bile duct is the tumor site? Reports usually just indicate a liver mass(es) but since the intrahepatic ducts are within the liver, is the code C221 due to the cholangiocarcinoma component, thus making the case stageable?

If there is no further information about where the cancer originated, assign C220. Use ICD-O-3 as the source for coding topography. The topography code associated with combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma (8180/3) is C220 when there is no other information available, according to ICD-O-3.

2015
20130157

Primary Site--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: What primary site code should be assigned and what rule justifies that code?

Scenario: Pleural effusion, underwent thoracentesis. Pleural fluid unexpectedly showed Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Extensive workup including CT & PET was done and all findings were within normal limits. No evidence of lymphoma was seen and no palpable adenopathy was found. The only indication of lymphoma was the malignant pleural effusion.

Code to pleura, C384.

Per the Hematopoietic database, Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma can originate in the pleural cavity.

2013
20130105

Primary Site--Heme & Lymphoid Neoplasms: How is the primary site coded for a B-cell lymphoma intermediate between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma when a biopsy of the paraspinal muscle and epidural tissue is positive, but there is no indication of lymph node involvement in the chart?

For cases diagnosed 2010 and forward, access the Hematopoietic Database at http://seer.cancer.gov/seertools/hemelymph.

Code the primary site to soft tissue of the back, NOS [C496] per Rule PH24 and the Abstractor Notes in the Heme DB for B-cell lymphoma intermediate between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma.

Code the primary site to the organ when lymphoma is present only in an organ. The lesion is described as epidural (tissue surrounding the dura) and involving paraspinal muscle, NOS. Both are connective or other soft tissues of the trunk, NOS [C496].

B-cell lymphoma intermediate between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma is a synonym for DLBCL 9680/3. When there is no primary site listed in the Heme DB, go to the Abstractor Notes. In the Abstractor Notes section it states that patients present with lymphadenopathy OR mass lesions in extranodal sites.

SEER*Educate provides training on how to use the Heme Manual and DB. If you are unsure how to arrive at the answer in this SINQ question, refer to SEER*Educate to practice coding hematopoietic and lymphoid neoplasms. Review the step-by-step instructions provided for each case scenario to learn how to use the application and manual to arrive at the answer provided. https://educate.fhcrc.org/LandingPage.aspx.

 2013
20230064

Primary Site--Cervix Uteri: When no other information is available regarding the origin of the tumor, can an overlapping cervical adenocarcinoma (C538, 8140/3) be coded to the endocervix (C530) based on the histology? See Discussion.

Adenocarcinoma is a glandular tumor and the endocervix is generally the origin of glandular tissue for the cervix. However, if the only available information is pathology proving a single tumor overlapping the endocervix and exocervix, can we code the site to C530 instead of C538?

Applying the current primary site coding instructions, primary site would be coded as C538 because there is no specific statement of the tumor origin; the primary site coding instructions state the tumor is coded to an overlapping site in the absence of a specific statement of origin and there is no existing SINQ confirming the site can be assumed to be the endocervix based on the histology.

Code Primary Site as Overlapping lesion of cervix uteri (C538). The 2023 SEER Program Coding and Staging Manual Primary Site Coding Instructions for Solid Tumors #4 says to code the last digit of the primary site code to ‘8’ when a single tumor overlaps an adjacent subsite(s) of an organ and the point of origin cannot be determined. This is also supported by the ICD-O-3, 3rd edition, note in the Topography section that states: In categories C00 to C809, neoplasms should be assigned to the subcategory that includes the point of origin of the tumor. A tumor that overlaps the boundaries of two or more subcategories and whose point of origin cannot be determined should be classified to subcategory ‘8.”

 2023
20110127

Primary Site--Brain and CNS: Are meninges surrounding cranial nerves cranial meninges [C700] or a part of the specific nerve's sheath? Is the primary site for an optic nerve sheath meningioma coded to optic nerve [C723] or cranial meninges [C700]?

Code the primary site to cranial meninges [C700].

 2011