Scope Reg LN (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.

For the majority of sites, "Scope of Regional Lymph Node Surgery" defines the removal of regional lymph node(s). This refers to the farthest regional node removed regardless of involvement with disease. There is no minimum number of nodes that must be removed. If at least one regional lymph node was removed, the code for this field must be in the range of 1-5. If a regional lymph node was aspirated or biopsied, enter code '1'.

For head and neck sites, this field describes neck dissections. Codes 2-5 indicate only that a neck dissection procedure was done; they do not imply that nodes were found during the pathologic examination of the surgical specimen. Code the neck dissection even if no nodes were found in the specimen.

These codes are site specific and they are contained in Appendix G - Surgery Codes - ROADS. The codes are hierarchical; if more than one applies, record the highest code (except 9). A list identifies the regional lymph nodes for each site. Any other nodes are distant; code their removal in the data field "Surgery of Other Regional Site(s), Distant Site(s) or Distant Lymph Node(s)”. For unknown primaries, leukemias, lymphomas (except lymphomas of the spleen), hematopoietic diseases, and brain primaries code '9' in this field.

If no regional lymph nodes were removed, code 0.

Nodes which are considered regional are those defined in the AJCC Manual for Staging of Cancer in each site specific chapter.