The Hematopoietic Manual

The Hematopoietic Manual contains sections on reportability, ambiguous terminology, diagnostic confirmation, multiple primary rules, primary site instructions, and the primary site and histology (PH) rules. These sections are designed to guide registrars in capturing the most accurate information, with particular emphasis on determining the number of primaries and the correct histology

As a reminder, when abstracting Hematopoietic neoplasms, ALWAYS start with the Hematopoietic Database first. Never start with the manual first.

The first sections of the manual are mostly informational, starting with the history of ICD-O and Hematopoietic neoplasms. The next section provides some basic facts about Leukemias and Lymphomas. There is not enough information here to code cases, but it does provide some background in understanding these neoplasms better.

The next section provides a brief description of the 5 major groupings of the Hematopoietic neoplasms, and a list of the relevant lineage tables per grouping from the WHO 5th edition Blue Book for Hematolymphoid tumors. The lineage tables divide hematopoietic neoplasms into Myeloid and Lymphoid neoplasms. Being familiar with the lineage tables will help registrars determine the appropriate histology and may also aid in determining if there are multiple primaries. A complete listing of the histologies and their lineage table are found in Appendix B of the Hematopoietic Manual.

Updated: December 2, 2025