Two Korean women (41 and 23-years of age) presented with painful breast enlargement and redness. The involved breast was confirmed as metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma. Although metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma of the breast shows similar clinical symptoms to inflammatory breast cancer, the difference between the two is that this malignancy showed no microcalcifications or mass on radiographic findings (mammograms and US). Therefore, after the confirmation of signet ring cell carcinoma of the breast has been made, metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma should be considered if there are no microcalcifications or masses evident on radiographic findings.
Adult ; Breast Neoplasms/secondary* ; Breast Neoplasms/radiography* ; Breast Neoplasms/pathology ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell/secondary* ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell/radiography* ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell/radiography* ; Case Report ; Female ; Human ; Stomach Neoplasms/pathology* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms/pathology* ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell/pathology* ; Adenocarcinoma/pathology*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell/*pathology/*surgery ; Dissection/*methods ; Female ; *Gastroscopy ; Humans ; Male ; Stomach Neoplasms/*pathology/*surgery

OBJECTIVETo study the histogenesis, pathologic features and differential diagnosis of prostatic primary signet ring cell carcinoma.

METHODS10 cases of the primary signet ring cell carcinoma were detected from 262 cases of prostate carcinomas diagnosed on needle biopsy were investigated by routine pathological, immunohistochemical and histochemical methods, and then compared with 10 cases of signet ring cell carcinomas of the stomach and colon. 3 cases were studied with electron microscopy.

RESULTS9 cases of prostate signet ring cell carcinoma were associated with concurrent high-grade conventional prostatic carcinoma, but at least 25% of the neoplasm consisted of signet ring cells. Only one case was pure signet ring cell carcinoma. Neoplastic signet ring cells may be divided into two types: the first type showed formation of intracytoplasmic lumina or vacuole, and the second type had intracytoplasmic accumulation of excess PSA and/or PAP. Both types of signet ring cells were negative for mucin staining (AB/PAS and mucicarmine). Therefore they differed from signet ring cell carcinomas of the stomach and colon.

CONCLUSIONSPrimary prostate signet ring cell carcinoma is a low-differentiated adenocarcinoma of a special histologic type, which arises from the epithelial cells of the prostate acinus. They can be distinguished from metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma of the stomach and colon and also from vacuolate degeneration of conventional carcinoma after endocrine or radiation therapy.

Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell ; pathology ; Cell Differentiation ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Middle Aged ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; pathology

Various minimally invasive surgical techniques in some cases of early gastric cancer are becoming common practice. However, there are rare cases of advanced cancer with distant metastasis although the invasion of the gastric wall is limited to the mucosa and/or submucosa (defined as early gastric cancer according to UICC-TNM classification). We report two cases of early gastric cancer with distant metastasis (stage IV). Both tumors were defined as early cancer because they were confined to the submucosa. One was a type IIa early cancer, histologically classifiable as a signet ring cell carcinoma (according to the Japanese Classification of Gastric Carcinoma and UICC-TNM classification); the other was a surface spreading type IIb IIc, classifiable as a signet ring cell carcinoma, too. Stage IV factors were ovarian metastasis (Krukenberg tumor) in the former and N3 in the latter case.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell/*pathology/secondary ; English Abstract ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stomach Neoplasms/*pathology

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinicopathological features of signet ring cell gastric carcinoma (SRCC) with those of non-signet ring cell cancers and explore the prognostic factors of signet ring cell gastric carcinoma.

METHODSWe retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 1447 gastric cancer patients, including gastric signet ring cell and non-signet ring cell cancers. Their clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival data were analyzed.

RESULTSThe differences in the age, sex, tumor location, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, TNM classification and surgical type were significant between gastric signet ring cell and non-signet ring cell gastric carcinomas. The 5-year survival rate of the patients with gastric signet ring cell carcinoma was 29.6%, while that of the non-signet ring cell cancers was 42.9% (P < 0.05). The 5-year survival rate for each stage of gastric signet ring cell carcinoma and non-signet ring cell cancers was 71.0% and 79.3% for stage I, 45.6% and 58.3% for stage II, 16.9% and 29.2% for stage III, and 6.0% and 11.9% for stage IV cases, respectively, with a significant difference only between stages III and IV cancers (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that tumor diameter, T stage and N stage were independent prognostic factors for signet ring cell gastric carcinoma.

CONCLUSIONSThe signet ring cell gastric carcinoma has unique clinicopathological features compared with non-signet ring cell carcinoma. Early detection and treatment can improve the prognosis for patients with gastric signet ring cell carcinoma.

Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Survival Rate

Intersphincteric resection (ISR) is the ultimate sphincter-preserving surgical technique for low rectal cancer. To promote the standardized implementation of ISR, this review discusses the important issues regarding the clinical application of ISR with reference to the latest Chinese expert consensus on ISR. In terms of ISR-related pelvic anatomy of the rectum/anal canal, hiatal ligament is not identical with the anococcygeal ligament. At the level where the rectourethralis muscle continuously extends to the posteroinferior area of the membranous urethra from the rectum, the neurovascular bundle is identified between the posterior edge of rectourethralis muscle and the anterior edge of the longitudinal muscle of the rectum. This knowledge is crucial to detect the anterior dissection plane during ISR at the levator hiatus level. The indication criteria for ISR included: (1) stage I early low rectal cancer; (2) stage II-III low rectal cancer undergoing neoadjuvant treatment, and supra-anal tumors and juxta-anal tumors of stage ycT3NxM0, or intra-anal tumors of stage ycT2NxM0. However, signet ring cell carcinoma, mucinous adenocarcinoma and undifferentiated carcinoma should be contraindicated to ISR. For locally advanced low rectal cancer (especially anteriorly located tumor), neoadjuvant treatment should be carried out in a standardized manner. However, it should be recognized that neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy was a risk factor for poor anal function after ISR. For surgical approaches for ISR, including transanal, transabdominal, and transanal transabdominal approaches, the choice should be based on oncological safety and functional consequences. While ensuring the negative margin, maximal preservation of rectal walls and anal canal contributs to better postoperative anorectal function. Careful attention must be paid to complications regarding ISR, with special focus on the anastomotic complications. The incidence of low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) was higher than 40%. However, this issue is often neglected by clinicians. Thus, management and rehabilitation strategies for LARS with longer follow-ups were required.
Humans ; Rectal Neoplasms/pathology* ; Postoperative Complications ; Laparoscopy/methods* ; Anal Canal/pathology* ; Anus Neoplasms/pathology* ; Anus Diseases/surgery* ; Low Anterior Resection Syndrome ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell/pathology* ; Treatment Outcome

Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis occurs in approximately 5% of patients with cancer. The most common cancers involving the leptomeninges are breast, lung cancer and melanoma. However, gastric adenocarcinoma has been rarely reported with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis. The presenting manifestations are usually headache, visual disturbances and seizures. We report a case of leptomeningeal metastasis that presented as a gastric cancer. A 49-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with the symptoms of headache and melena for 10 days. The endoscopy showed a thickening of the folds of the stomach compatible with the diagnosis of a Borrman type IV gastric cancer. The biopsy revealed a signet ring cell carcinoma. The MRI of brain showed no abnormal findings; however, the patient complained of an intractable persistent headache, nausea and vomiting on admission day 6. The cytology examination of the cerebrospinal fluid supported the diagnosis of metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Mannitol ; Meningeal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Middle Aged ; Stomach Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are well known risk factors of intestinal cancer in relation to the extent and duration of disease. Rarely, small bowel cancer can develop after a longstanding inflammation of Crohn's disease with a relatively higher incidence than the general population. Signet ring cell carcinoma is a rare condition among intestinal cancers, and the diagnosis or detection is more difficult if the cancer originates from the small bowel. We report a case of a 30-year old female in whom signet ring cell carcinoma of ileum was diagnosed after a 15-year history of Crohn's disease.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell/*diagnosis/etiology/pathology ; Colonoscopy ; Crohn Disease/*complications/diagnosis/pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Ileal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/etiology/pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUNDPrevious studies have shown conflicting results on the relation between clinicopathologic features and prognosis of patients with colorectal mucinous, signet-ring cell, or non-mucinous adenocarcinoma; only few such studies have been performed in China. This retrospective study analyzed data from our department to investigate clinicopathologic characteristics, prognosis and possible correlations of three histologic types - colorectal mucinous, signet-ring cell, and non-mucinous adenocarcinoma, to clarify the bases for observed differences which may lead to development of targeted therapies.

METHODSOf 2079 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 1994 and 2007, 144 had mucinous, 25 had signet-ring cell, and 1837 had non-mucinous adenocarcinoma. Their clinicopathologic parameters and survival were analyzed using established statistical methodologies.

RESULTSMucinous and signet-ring cell adenocarcinomas were common in younger patients (P < 0.001). Location, size and disease stage differed significantly among the three types. Signet-ring cell tumors were more commonly found in the rectum than mucinous and non-mucinous adenocarcinoma (P < 0.001). Mucinous and signet-ring cell tumors presented in a later stage in life more often than non-mucinous adenocarcinoma, with lymph node involvement, serosal infiltration, peritoneal dissemination, and adjacent organ invasion (P < 0.01). The rate of radical resection, hepatic metastasis and local recurrence did not differ among types (P > 0.05). Compared with patients with non-mucinous adenocarcinoma, patients with mucinous and signet-ring cell tumors who underwent potentially curative resections or stage II/III disease had poorer long-term overall survival. Survival did not differ by type for patients with either stage I or IV disease (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSMucinous and signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma have unique carcinogenesis and similar biologic behavior. Our study confirms that both histologic types, especially signet-ring cell tumors, are independent, negative prognostic factors for patients with colorectal cancer. Type does not appear to have a significant effect on survival when disease is either stage I or IV at presentation.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; mortality ; pathology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell ; mortality ; pathology ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging