Abstracting & Coding Flashcards

A patient undergoes a lumpectomy for breast cancer followed by radiation. How is the radiation coded in the treatment fields?

Answer: As a separate first-course treatment modality

Radiation therapy is coded as a separate first-course treatment modality, regardless of sequence with surgery.

Which field captures the method by which the cancer diagnosis was confirmed?

Answer: Basis of diagnosis

The 'basis of diagnosis' field records the most definitive method used to confirm the cancer diagnosis, such as histology, cytology, or clinical diagnosis.

When a patient is diagnosed with cancer at another facility but receives all treatment at your facility, what is the case type?

Answer: Analytic case — class of case 10

Class of case 10 applies when the patient is diagnosed elsewhere but receives all or part of first-course treatment at the reporting facility.

Which of the following best describes the 'laterality' field in a cancer abstract?

Answer: Which side of a paired organ contains the primary tumor

Laterality identifies which side (right, left, bilateral, or midline) of a paired organ the primary tumor arises from.

A pathology report mentions 'signet ring cell features' in a gastric adenocarcinoma. How should histology be coded?

Answer: 8490/3 — Signet ring cell carcinoma

When signet ring cell features are identified, ICD-O-3 code 8490/3 (Signet ring cell carcinoma) is the most specific and preferred code.

Under AJCC 8th edition, which biomarker is NOT part of the breast cancer prognostic stage grouping?

Answer: Ki-67 proliferation index

Ki-67 is not included in AJCC 8th edition breast cancer prognostic staging; ER, PR, HER2, and Oncotype DX score are used.

When should a tumor registrar use the 'autopsy only' class of case?

Answer: When the cancer is first diagnosed at autopsy and was not suspected ante-mortem

Autopsy only (class of case 38) applies when a malignancy is discovered for the first time during autopsy and was not suspected during the patient's lifetime.