Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

Question: I'm new to oncology and was wondering if you would explain what oncologists mean by a neoplasm's behavior.

Florida Subscriber

Answer: Oncologists commonly use this terminology when predicting how a particular cancer presents initially. For example, the physicians is seeking whether the cancer will respond to therapy and whether the cancer may recur locally or metastasize.

Different cancers "behave" differently. For example, a malignant breast neoplasm (174.0-174.9) may present either in situ, which means it's confined to the duct or lobules, or the cancer could be invasive. Physicians expect recurrent invasive breast cancer to recur locally or as a metastatic disease. Breast cancer commonly metastasizes to the lungs, brain or bone. Like breast cancer, other malignant neoplasms have a particular pattern upon initial presentation, recurrence or metastasis.