NAACCR Item #835: Sentinel Lymph Nodes Positive
| Item # | Length | Source of Standard | Year Implemented | Version Implemented | Year Retired | Version Retired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 835 | 2 | CoC | 2018 | 18 |
NAACCR XML: Tumor.sentinelLymphNodesPositive
Description
Records the exact number of sentinel lymph nodes biopsied by the pathologist and found to contain metastases. This data item is required for CoC-accredited facilities as of cases diagnosed 01/01/2018 and later. This data item is required for breast and melanoma cases only.
Rationale
It is a known fact that sentinel lymph node biopsies have been under-reported. Additionally, the timing and results of sentinel lymph node biopsy procedures are used in quality of care measures. This data item can be used to more accurately assess the number of positive sentinel lymph nodes biopsied separate from the number of positive lymph nodes identified during additional subsequent regional node dissection procedures, if performed.
Codes
| 00 | All sentinel nodes examined are negative |
| 01-90 | Sentinel nodes are positive (code exact number of nodes positive) |
| 95 | Positive aspiration of sentinel lymph node(s) was performed |
| 97 | Positive sentinel nodes are documented, but the number is unspecified; For breast ONLY: SLN and RLND occurred during the same procedure |
| 98 | No sentinel nodes were biopsied |
| 99 | It is unknown whether sentinel nodes are positive; not applicable; not stated in patient record |