Korean J Gastrointest Endosc.  2006 Nov;33(5):278-284.

Clinical and Colonoscopic Characteristics of Primary Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma in Colorectum

• Pyo SH
• Byeon JS
• Myung SJ
• Yang SK
• Lee HJ
• Pyo SI
• Kim JH
• Kim JC
• Jang SJ

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
A primary signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) in the colorectum is unusual. This study evaluated the clinical and colonoscopic characteristics of primary colorectal SRCC.
METHODS
Twenty-eight patients diagnosed with a primary colorectal SRCC and 100 patients diagnosed with a primary colorectal nonmucinous adenocarcinoma were enrolled in this study. The medical records and colonoscopic findings were reviewed.
RESULTS
The mean age was younger in the SRCC patients than in the nonmucinous adenocarcinoma patients (47.3+/-15.5 years vs. 60.3+/-10.4 years, p<0.001). In SRCC, hematochezia was less frequent while abdominal pain was more common (p<0.001). Duke stages A or B was rare in SRCC (4/28, 14.3% vs. 58/100, 58.0%, p<0.001). The colonoscopic features of Borrmann type 4 was more common in SRCC (10/28, 35.7% vs. 3/100, 3.0%, p<0.001). The occurrence of a tumor in the right colon was more frequent in SRCC (17/28, 60.7% vs. 20/100, 20.0%, p<0.001). The diagnostic yield of the first colonoscopic biopsy was lower in the SRCC patients (85.7% vs. 98.0%, p=0.021).
CONCLUSIONS
Primary colorectal SRCC appears to occur in younger patients compared with nonmucinous adenocarcinoma. A more advanced stage and an infiltrative lesion such as Borrmann type 4 appears to be common and the diagnostic yield of a colonoscopic biopsy tends to be low in primary colorectal SRCC.

Keyword

Signet ring cell carcinoma; Colorectal adenocarcinoma; Colonoscopy; Biopsy

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Adenocarcinoma
Biopsy
Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell*
Colon
Colonoscopy
Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage
Humans
Medical Records