V.6.3.4 Pathologic Stage Group

Coding Instructions:

• Refer to the most current AJCC Cancer Staging Manual for coding instructions.

• Left justify and leave remaining spaces blank if the value does not fill all characters.

• Convert Roman numerals to Arabic numerals and use upper-case capital letters only.

• Code the pathologic Stage Group as documented by the managing provider or first treating provider in the medical record.

• If the managing provider has not recorded the pathologic Stage Group, registrars will code the pathologic Stage Group based on the best information available.

• If pathologic M is coded to either X or blank and clinical M is coded as 0, 1, 1A, 1B, or 1C, then the combination of staging data items pT, pN, and cM may be used to complete the pathologic Stage Group.

• Assigning Stage when the only information available is Stage Group and no information for T, N, or M:

• Assume the Stage Group is pathologic in the following situations:

• The patient is post-surgery.

• The patient is receiving adjuvant therapy, assume surgery occurred.

• Assign the given pathologic Stage Group and leave the corresponding T, N, and M components blank.

Example:

Patient presents for adjuvant therapy, post-mastectomy for Stage IIB breast tumor. No other information provided.

Assign pathologic Stage Group IIB. Leave pathologic T, N, M as categories blank. The documented Stage Group is pathologic (post mastectomy).

• Use code 88 for pathologic T, N, and M as well as pathologic Stage Group in the following situations:

• Site/histology combination is not defined in the AJCC Manual.

Codes:

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