Neoplasm Observables
This Editorial Guide is used for Education Purposes Only. It is used in the Authoring Courses and Certifications. It is based on the January 2026 Editorial Guide.
Observable entity concepts representing histopathology examination observables of neoplasms are being modeled according to a series of templates.
Please see the templates listed here: Observable entity templates See the Cancer Synoptic Reporting area for more information about the project.
Concepts containing a primary malignant neoplasm from the observable entity subhierarchy employ the 704321009 |Characterizes (attribute)| with the target qualifier value of 1234914003 |Malignant proliferation of primary neoplasm (qualifier value)| in order to define primary (which matches the target value of the Pathological process (attribute) used by concepts in the Disorder hierarchy).
For example,
1136681000004107 |Anatomic location of excised primary malignant neoplasm (observable entity)| applies the Characterizes (attribute) with a target of Malignant proliferation of primary neoplasm (qualifier value).
Stated view of 1136681000004107 |Anatomic location of excised primary malignant neoplasm (observable entity)|:
Stated view of 372087000 |Primary malignant neoplasm (disorder)|:
Concepts containing a metastatic malignant neoplasm from the observable entity subhierarchy do not use 704321009 |Characterizes (attribute)|, but instead are defined by the specific metastatic morphologic abnormality. For example, 444384007 |Number of regional lymph nodes containing metastatic neoplasm in excised specimen (observable entity)| has the attribute 246093002 |Component (attribute)| with a target value of 14799000 |Neoplasm, metastatic (morphologic abnormality)|.
Colorectum
The terms colorectal and colorectum, commonly used by pathologists, are included in descriptions for concepts referring to neoplasms modeled with 1285733009 |Structure of cecum and/or colon and/or rectum (body structure)|. 1285733009 |Structure of cecum and/or colon and/or rectum (body structure)| is needed because neoplasms are the same from the cecum to rectum and are considered as a group in cancer synoptic reporting protocols. Note, there is no consensus concerning the definition of colon in the literature and between different domains.
Concepts containing a metastatic malignant neoplasm from the observable entity subhierarchy do not use 704321009 |Characterizes (attribute)|, but instead are defined by the specific metastatic morphologic abnormality. For example, 444384007 |Number of regional lymph nodes containing metastatic neoplasm in excised specimen (observable entity)| has the attribute 246093002 |Component (attribute)| with a target value of 14799000 |Neoplasm, metastatic (morphologic abnormality)|.
Concepts containing a metastatic malignant neoplasm from the observable entity subhierarchy do not use 704321009 |Characterizes (attribute)|, but instead are defined by the specific metastatic morphologic abnormality. For example, 444384007 |Number of regional lymph nodes containing metastatic neoplasm in excised specimen (observable entity)| has the attribute 246093002 |Component (attribute)| with a target value of 14799000 |Neoplasm, metastatic (morphologic abnormality)|.
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