Cancer registries play a fundamental role in cancer control and multicenter collaborative research. Recently, the need for reassessment of cancer registry criteria has arisen due to the newly released 2010 World Health Organization (WHO) classification. Accordingly, development of new coding guidelines for cancer is necessary to improve the quality of cancer registries, as well as to prevent conflicts that may arise when seeking medical insurance compensation.
With funding from the Management Center for Health Promotion, 35 members of the Gastrointestinal Pathology Study Group and the Cancer Registration Committee of the Korean Society of Pathologists (KSP) participated in a second workshop for gastrointestinal tumor registration in Korea.
The topics of gastric epithelial tumor, colonic intramucosal carcinoma, neuroendocrine tumor (NET), gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and appendiceal mucinous tumor were discussed for new coding guidelines. A survey was then conducted among 208 members of the KSP for a consensus of the guidelines proposed in the workshop.
Although a few issues were set aside for further discussion, such as coding for non-gastric GIST and some types of NET, the members agreed upon most of the proposed guidelines. Therefore, we suggest using the newly revised International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, 3rd edition (ICD-O-3) coding guidelines for registering gastrointestinal tumors in Korea.
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Cancer registration in Korea has a longer than 30-years of history, during which time cancer registration has improved and become well-organized. Cancer registries are fundamental for cancer control and multi-center collaborative research. However, there have been discrepancies in assigning behavior codes. Thus, we intend to propose appropriate behavior codes for the International Classification of Disease Oncology, 3rd edition (ICD-O-3) for microinvasive tumors of the ovary and breast not only to improve the quality of the cancer registry but also to prevent conflicts.
As in series I, two pathology study groups and the Cancer Registration Committee of the Korean Society of Pathologists (KSP) participated. To prepare a questionnaire on provisional behavior code, the relevant subjects were discussed in the workshop, and consensus was obtained by convergence of opinion from members of KSP.
Microinvasive tumor of the breast should be designated as a microinvasive carcinoma which was proposed as malignant tumor (/3). Serous borderline tumor with microinvasion of the ovary was proposed as borderline tumor (/1), and mucinous borderline tumor with microinvasion of the ovary as either borderline (/1) or carcinoma (/3) according to the tumor cell nature.
Some issues should be elucidated with the accumulation of more experience and knowledge. Here, however, we present our second proposal.
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