NAACCR Item #3964: Brain Primary Tumor Location

Item # Length Source of Standard Year Implemented Version Implemented Year Retired Version Retired
3964 1 SEER 2024 24

NAACCR XML: Tumor.brainPrimaryTumorLocation

Description

The Pons and other subsites of the Brain Stem have the same ICD-O topography code (C717), which is for subsites of the Brain Stem. Clinically, information regarding the Pons is very important, especially for pediatric cases. A schema discriminator is necessary to distinguish between the pons and other subsites of the brain stem.

Rationale

The pons site is the third most common site for pediatric brain tumors and there is currently no way to identify tumors that occur in this site. Surgery is too dangerous for these types of tumors. Needle biopsies are also dangerous and extremely rare. Without pathology specimens, accurate histology is elusive making accurate incidence not possible. A cascade of implications results without accurate incidence including support for drug development.

Codes
1Pons
2Subsite other than Pons * Basis peduncle * Cerebral peduncle * Choroid plexus of fourth ventricle * Fourth ventricle, NOS * Infratentorial brain, NOS * Medulla oblongata * Midbrain * Olive * Pyramid
8Information not collected for this case
9Brain stem, NOS Unknown subsite of Brain Stem

Note 1: This SSDI is effective for diagnosis years 2024+

  • For cases diagnosed 2018-2023, leave this SSDI blank