If a patient was given an accession number and was determined not to have a reportable tumor, what should happen to that accession number?

When a patient is assigned an accession number for a tumor but is subsequently determined not to have a reportable tumor, the appropriate action is to delete that accession number. This is significant because an accession number is linked to the documentation and tracking of reportable tumors, ensuring accurate data management and compliance with reporting requirements.

If a reportable tumor was never present, retaining the accession number could lead to confusion in tumor registries, result in inaccurate data reporting, and contribute to misleading statistical analysis. Deleting the accession number prevents this potential issue, ensuring that only relevant and accurate data about reportable tumors is maintained. This action helps uphold the integrity of the data collected in oncology databases and registries.