Lymph Nodes Assessment Method Para-aortic
Description
This data item describes the method used to assess involvement of para-aortic lymph nodes associated with certain female genital cancers.
In addition to assigning the N categories for vulva, vagina, and cervical cancers, the collection of specific lymph nodes and how they were assessed is important.
* Status refers to positive or negative involvement
* Assessment is the method by which the nodal status was determined
There are 3 related data items that collect assessment method information on regional lymph nodes, and 1 data item for distant lymph nodes.
The LN assessment data items collect how the lymph nodes were assessed for femoral-inguinal, para-aortic, and pelvic lymph nodes, and distant lymph nodes scalene and mediastinal. These related data items include
* 3871: LN Assessment Method Femoral-Inguinal
* 3872: LN Assessment Method Para-Aortic
* 3873: LN Assessment Method Pelvic
* 3874: LN Distant Assessment Method
Rationale
Method of assessment of regional nodal status is listed as a Registry Data Collection Variable in the AJCC GYN chapters. This data item was previously collected as Vagina, CS SSF #5.
Additional Info
**Source documents:** pathology report, imaging, physical exam, other statement in record
Notes
**Note 1:** **Physician Statement**
* Physician statement of para-aortic assessment method can be used to code this data item when no other information is available.
**Note 2:** **Para-aortic lymph nodes**
* Aortic
* Lateral aortic/lumbar aortic
* Para-aortic, NOS
* Periaortic
**Note 3:** **Isolated tumor cells**
* For this data item, do not include isolated tumor cells (ITCs).
**Note 4:** **Related data item**
* The status of the lymph nodes is recorded in the related data item 3959: LN Status Para-aortic.
Coding Guidelines
**1** Assign the highest applicable code (0-2) in the case of multiple assessments
**2)** **Code 0** when there is physical exam or imaging only
**3)** **Code 1** when there is an incisional biopsy or FNA
**4)** **Code 2** when there is an excisional biopsy, sentinel lymph node biopsy, or lymph node resection
**5)** **Code 7** when lymph nodes are assessed, but it is unknown how
**6)** **Code 9** when
* **a.** Not documented in medical record
* **b.** Regional/Distant lymph nodes not evaluated (assessed)
* **c.** Unknown if regional/distant lymph nodes evaluated (assessed)
Default
8
Metadata
SSDI
| Code |
Description |
| 0 |
Radiography, imaging
(Ultrasound (US), computed tomography scan (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography scan (PET))
Physical exam only |
| 1 |
Incisional biopsy; fine needle aspiration (FNA) |
| 2 |
Lymphadenectomy
Sentinel node biopsy
Excisional biopsy or resection with microscopic confirmation |
| 7 |
Para-aortic lymph node(s) assessed, unknown assessment method |
| 8 |
Not applicable: Information not collected for this case
(If this item is required by your standard setter, use of code 8 will result in an edit error.) |
| 9 |
Not documented in medical record
Para-aortic lymph node(s) not assessed or unknown if assessed |
