J Korean Med Sci.  2002 Feb;17(1):23-28. 10.3346/jkms.2002.17.1.23.

Reduced E-Cadherin Expression as a Cause of Distinctive Signet-Ring Cell Variant in Colorectal Carcinoma

• Kim HC
• Kim HJ
• Kim JC

• KMID: 2157589
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2002.17.1.23

Abstract

Colorectal signet-ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) is a rare type of adenocarcinoma and presents with distinctive clinicopathological features. This study was performed to assess the biological characteristics of colorectal SRCC regarding the E-cadherin expression. Seventeen patients with primary colorectal SRCC were identified and their clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed. The mean age of the 17 patients was 45.3 yr (14-68). Immunohistochemical staining of E-cadherin and beta-catenin were performed in ten colorectal SRCCs and in 30 ordinary colorectal adenocarcinomas as control. Primary colorectal SRCC occurred in 0.7% of 2,388 colorectal adenocarcinomas. Most patients had advanced stage tumor at surgery (stage III and IV, AJCC: 82%). Five-year survival rate was 16%. Peritoneal seeding was the most common recurrence pattern (41%) and liver metastasis was not identified. All SRCCs showed a markedly reduced or absent expression of E-cadherin on immunohistochemical staining, whereas seven (23.3%) of ordinary carcinomas showed reduced expression, thereby indicating a significant difference between the two groups (p<0.005). In immunohistochemical staining for beta-catenin, eight of ten SRCCs showed reduced membrane expression that did not attain statistical significance compared to ordinary adenocarcinomas. It is suggested that aberrant E-cadherin expression may explain the distinct clinicopathological features in primary colorectal SRCC.

Keyword

Colorectal Neoplasms; Carcinoma, Signet-ring cell; Cadherins; beta-catenin

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Cadherins/*biosynthesis
Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell/*metabolism/pathology
Colorectal Neoplasms/*metabolism/pathology
Cytoskeletal Proteins/biosynthesis
Female
Humans
Immunohistochemistry/methods
Male
Middle Aged
Retrospective Studies
*Trans-Activators
beta Catenin