Morphology & Grade

ICD-O-3 Morphology Codes

If the diagnostic term in the pathology report is not in the list below, be sure to consult your ICD-O manual.

  • Adenocarcinomas (81403) of the kidney parenchyma are the most common (85% of all tumors).
    • Hypernephroma, renal cell carcinoma or Grawitz tumor (83123)
    • Clear cell (83103)
    • Papillary (82603)
    • Granular cell (83203)
    • Spindle cell (80323)
  • Transitional cell carcinoma (81203) most common morphology in renal pelvis; may be a function of a urothelial field defect.
  • Papillary carcinoma (81303)
  • Squamous cell carcinoma (80703) < 15% of renal pelvis tumors
  • Other histologies
    • Wilms tumor (nephroblastoma; 89603)—large bulky tumor of childhood; rare in adults
    • Lymphoma (many cell types)
    • Sarcoma (many cell types)
    • Hemangiopericytoma (91503)

Grade of tumor correlates with stage; superficial tumors are usually grade I-II; infiltrating tumors are commonly grade III-IV.

Synonyms for in situ carcinoma: CIS, Stage 0, CIN grade III, confined to epithelium, intraepithelial, involvement up to but not including the basement membrane, noninfiltrating, noninvasive, no stromal involvement, papillary noninfiltrating, noninvasive papillary, stage "Ta"