The October CTR Coding Break reviews the topic Abstracting in Text. Text in the cancer abstract is important and must be complete, timely, and accurate in order to be useful. Text can explain the choice of codes and should match the coded data. A brief introduction is provided along with more detail of the multiple subjects of text. Many times, the date, name or type, and…

  The Registry Partners September 2020 CTR Coding Break reviews two new notes for coding Grade Pathological. Note 2 is discussed with examples: New – There is a preferred grading system for the schema. If the clinical grade given uses the preferred grading system and the pathological grade does not use the preferred grading system, do NOT record the clinical grade within the Grade Pathological field….

  The August CTR Coding Break reviews SSDI codes that may be recorded in the medical record with ranges instead of an exact lab value. Breast Ki-67 is a marker of cell proliferation. Colon and Rectum SSDI circumferential resection margin is a strong prognostic factor for local or systemic recurrences. Colon and Rectum SSDI tumor deposits are discrete nodules of cancer in pericolic/perirectal fat without evidence…

  The July 2020 CTR Coding Break addresses the data item Lymphovascular Invasion (LVI). Lymphovascular invasion is defined as the invasion of cancer in the blood vessels and/or lymphatic channels. The main objectives include understanding of code 8 for not applicable, applying codes 2, 3, and 4 for small vessel, large vessel, and both small/large vessel invasion, using the STORE table to code cases treated with…