California Cancer Reporting System Standards Volume I: Abstracting and Coding Procedures
In determining whether a Benign/Borderline Brain and CNS are reportable, the basic criterion is a diagnosis of cancer by a physician, surgeon, or dentist, even if it is not pathologically confirmed.
NOTE: There is a standard setter difference in reportability dates for Benign/Borderline Brain and CNS Tumors.
California Cancer Registry began collecting the following cases January 1, 2001 and forward.
*Benign Schwannoma:
Reportable for cases diagnosed January 1, 2004 and forward for sites C72.2-C72.5
Expanded for cases diagnosed January 1, 2011 and forward to include site C72.0
National implementation began with cases diagnosed on January 1, 2004 and forward.
In 2002, Public Law 107-260 required the National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) to expand their primary brain tumor data collection to include tumors of benign and uncertain behavior. This began with cases diagnosed on January 1, 2004 and forward.
Any tumor with a behavior code of 0 or 1 will be collected for the following site codes based on ICD-O-3:
Meninges (C70.0 - C70.9)
Brain (C71.0 - C71.9)
Spinal Cord, Cranial Nerves, and Other Parts of Central Nervous System (C72.0 - C72.9) *(above)
Cauda equina (C72.1)
Pituitary gland (C75.1)
Craniopharyngeal duct (C75.2)
Pineal gland (C75.3)
The histology codes (also based on ICD-O-3) have been expanded and are listed in Appendix V for ICD-O-3 Primary Brain and CNS Site/Histology Listing.
Juvenile astrocytomas/pilocytic astrocytomas should continue to be reported as 9421/3.
Only benign brain tumor cases with a diagnosis year of 2001 forward are required to be reported to the CCR.
For vague and ambiguous diagnostic terms, see Ambiguous Diagnostic Reportable Terms.
A positive pathology report takes precedence over any other report or statement in a patient's chart.
In case of doubt about the reportability of a tumor, contact the reporting facility's regional registry for advice.
Do not report benign brain tumor cases with an unknown year of diagnosis, unless you know that the year of diagnosis is 2001 forward. Apply the rules under the Vague Dates section to determine a date of diagnosis if it is known that the benign brain case was diagnosed after 2001.
In order to be reportable, there must be a corresponding ICD-0-3 histology code for any CNS tumor related diagnosis.
The terms "tumor" and "neoplasm" are diagnostic and reportable for non-malignant brain and CNS primaries.
The terms "mass" and "lesion" are not reportable for non-malignant brain and CNS primaries, but may be used for initial casefinding purposes.
The terms "hypodense mass" or "cystic neoplasm" are not reportable even for CNS tumors.
Per SEER instruction, we are to report Benign Schwannomas (9560/0) of the spinal cord (C72.0) and of the cranial nerves (C72.2 - C72.5); therefore, these are both reportable to the CCR. Benign Schwannomas occurring anywhere else such as the peripheral nerves or peripheral nerve roots are not reportable to the CCR.
Report spinal (Schwannoma) tumors (C72.0) when the tumor arises within the spinal dura or spinal nerve roots, or when they are stated to be “intradural” or “of the nerve root.” DO NOT report tumors that arise in peripheral nerves. Peripheral nerves are the portion of the nerve extending beyond the spinal dura.
The cranial nerves (C72.2 – C72.5) are composed of twelve pairs of nerves that emanate from the nervous tissue of the brain. Cranial nerves are sometimes referred to by their number, such as the 8th cranial nerve, instead of the vestibulocochlear nerve.
To assist registrars with identifying reportable benign Schwannoma tumors, the cranial nerve numbers, names and their ICD-O-3 topography codes are listed below:
Cranial Nerve Description |
Associated ICD-O-3 Code |
I |
Olfactory (C72.2) |
II |
Optic (C72.3) |
III |
Oculomotor (C72.5) |
IV |
Trochlear (C72.5) |
V |
Trigeminal (C72.5) |
VI |
Abducens (C72.5) |
VII |
Facial (C72.5) |
VIII |
Vestibulocochlear (auditory and vestibular nerve, acoustic nerve) (C72.4) |
IX |
Glossopharyngeal (C72.5) |
X |
Vagus (C72.5) |
XI |
Accessory (C72.5) |
XII |
Hypoglossal (C72.5) |
Vestibular Schwannoma, also known as acoustic neuroma (C72.4 M-9560/0)
Registrars are not expected to go back and review Schwannoma cases already submitted to the CCR.
References: SEER and CDC
For more information see: http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/npcr/training/btr/clarification.htm