Coding EOD Mets

EOD Mets is used to represent distant metastases at the time of diagnosis. In other words, when the patient was diagnosed, tumor had already spread indirectly (through vascular or lymph channels) to a site remote from the primary tumor.

General Set up
Code Description
00 No; none
Unknown if distant metastases
10 Distant lymph node(s)
70 Distant mets, NOS
99 Note: Available ONLY for Death Certificate Only (DCOs) cases, for Central Registries only

Codes between 10 and 70 generally hierarchical

There are three codes that are in most schemas and have the same definition

Code 00: No distant mets or unknown if distant mets

  • Only a physical exam is needed
  • Assume no metastases when no information available

Code 10: Distant lymph nodes, NOS

Code 70: Distant mets, NOS

  • For schemas where there are no subcategories for distant metastases, this is the code for any distant metastases (excluding distant lymph nodes ONLY)
  • For schemas where there are subcategories for distant metastases, use this code when distant metastasis are present, but there is no information on the specific metastases

Code 99

  • This code can only be used for Death Certificate only cases (central registries)
  • This code cannot be used by hospital registries. If there is no information regarding metastasis, assume negative and code 00

See the EOD Manual for further information on the general guidelines for coding distant metastasis. See SEER*RSA for schema specific guidelines on coding distant metastasis.

Updated: December 11, 2023