Journal of Gastric Cancer  2011;11(3):189-193

doi:10.5230/jgc.2011.11.3.189

Early Gastric Cancer with Signet Ring Cell Histology Remained Unresected for 53 Months.

Seung Soo LEE 1 ; Seung Wan RYU ; In Ho KIM ; Soo Sang SOHN

Affiliations

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Keywords

Disease progression; Gastrectomy; Carcinoma, signet ring cell; Stomach neoplasms

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

The natural course of untreated patients with signet ring cell carcinoma of the stomach remains poorly understood while assumptions have been made to distinguish it from other types of gastric cancer. A 74-year-old Korean woman was diagnosed with early gastric cancer with signet ring cell histology and refused surgery. A satellite lesion was identified 46 months after the initial diagnosis. The patient finally agreed to undergo distal subtotal gastrectomy 53 months following the initial diagnosis. Postoperative histological examination of both lesions confirmed signet ring cell carcinoma associated with submucosal invasion. There was no evidence of lymph node metastasis.