What should be done if treatment modality details are not available?

In the context of documenting treatment modalities in oncology data, when details are not available, coding the modality to 98 is appropriate. This coding convention indicates that the information is not applicable or that the modality does not fall within the defined categories for reporting purposes.

Using code 98 serves as a clear signal that the data was considered but could not be accurately categorized based on available information, thus maintaining data integrity and ensuring that the absence of data is appropriately denoted. It's critical to use standardized coding systems to avoid misinterpretation and maintain consistency across records.

Other responses, while they may seem viable, do not accurately capture the best practice for instances where treatment modality information is not available. Using 'unknown', for example, could lead to ambiguity in the dataset, while designating it as 'unspecified' may lack the clarity needed for data analysis and reporting.