Surg Other Site (ROADS)

Field Length:  1

This data field applies only to cancers diagnosed before 2003. Collection of this data item was discontinued as of 1/1/2003 with FORDS implementation.

"Surgery of Other Regional Site(s), Distant Site(s) or Distant Lymph Node(s)" describes the removal of tissues(s) or organ(s) other than the primary tumor or organ of origin. This field is for all procedures that do not meet the definitions of Surgery of Primary Site or Scope of Regional Lymph Node Surgery.

Example: A patient has an excisional biopsy of a hard palate lesion is removed from the floor of the mouth and a resection of a metastatic lung nodule during the same surgical event. Code the resection of the lung nodule as 6 (distant site).

Code the removal of non-primary tissue which was removed because the surgeon suspected it was involved with malignancy even if the pathology is negative.

DO NOT CODE the incidental removal of tissue. Incidental is defined as tissue removed for reasons other than the malignancy. For example: During a colon resection, the surgeon noted that the patient had cholelithiasis and removed the gall bladder. Do not code removal of the gall bladder.

These codes are site specific and are contained in Appendix G, Surgical Codes-ROADS.