Person with cancer—morphology of cancer, code (ICD-O-3) NNNN/N

Identifying and definitional attributes
Metadata item type:	Data Element
Short name:	Morphology of cancer
METEOR identifier:	399491
Registration status:	Health, Standard 07/12/2011
Definition:	The histological classification of the cancer tissue (histopathological type) in a person with cancer, and a description of the course of development that a tumour is likely to take: benign or malignant (behaviour), as represented by a code.
Data Element Concept:	Person with cancer—morphology of cancer

Value domain attributes

Representational attributes

Classification scheme:

International Classification of Diseases for Oncology 3rd edition

Representation class:

Code

Data type:

Number

Format:

NNNN/N

Maximum character length:

Collection and usage attributes

Guide for use:

ICD-O morphology describes histology and behaviour as separate variables, recognising that there are a large number of possible combinations.

In ICD-O, morphology is a 4-digit number ranging from 8000 to 9989, and behaviour is a single digit which can be 0, 1, 2, 3, 6 or 9.

When the morphology is unknown, record 8000 and the appropriate behaviour code. For example, a tumour of unknown morphology with a behaviour code of "3" for a malignant primary site tumour would be recorded as 8000/3.

Source and reference attributes

Origin:

International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, Third Edition (ICD-O-3)

Data element attributes

Collection and usage attributes

Guide for use:

Tumour morphology refers to the type of cell (histology) that has become neoplastic and its biologic activity (behaviour).

Record the tumour morphology for patients who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Record the tumour morphology relating to the initial diagnosis and not for recurrent disease.

Record morphology codes in accordance with ICD-O-3 coding standards. Use the 5th-digit to record behaviour. Refer to the coding guidelines for morphology in ICD-O-3, pp 27-34.

If the morphology differs on multiple pathology reports for the same tumour, use the value from the most representative tumour specimen examined. For example, if the tumour is described as ductal on core biopsy but undifferentiated carcinoma on the excision specimen, the morphology would be coded as undifferentiated carcinoma (a lower code) which has a less favourable diagnosis.

Collection methods:

This information should be obtained from the patient's pathology reports or, in the case of cancer registries, from the notification reports.

Comments:

The information is collected so that tumours can be classified into clinically relevant groups based on their primary site and morphology. This provides a basis for staging and the determination of treatment options. The morphology of the cancer also affects the course of the disease and prognosis.

Source and reference attributes

Submitting organisation:

Cancer Australia

Origin:

World Health Organization

New South Wales Health Department

State and Territory Cancer Registries

Reference documents:

New South Wales Inpatient Statistics Collection Manual. 2000/2001

Esteban D, Whelan S, Laudico A, Parkin DM (Editors) 1995. World Health Organization and International Association of Cancer Registries: Manual for cancer registry personnel, IARC Technical Report No 10. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer

Fritz A et al. 2000. International Classification of Diseases for Oncology (ICD-O), 3rd edition. Geneva: World Health Organization