Early signet ring cell gastric cancer

Dig Dis Sci. 2011 Jun;56(6):1749-56. doi: 10.1007/s10620-010-1487-8. Epub 2010 Nov 21.

Abstract

Background: Signet ring cell carcinoma (SRC) is defined as a histological entity. The clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of gastric SRC remain controversial.

Methods: From 1994 to 2006, 2,439 patients with gastric carcinoma who underwent gastrectomy were enrolled. Of these, 505 patients (20.7%) had SRC and were compared to 1,934 patients with other histological types.

Results: Twenty-nine percent of patients in the SRC group (n = 149) had early gastric cancer, with tumor invasion limited to the mucosa or submucosa, compared to 22.2% of patients in the non-SRC group (n = 430). The proportion of regional LN metastases was 10.7 and 16.0% in early SRC and early non-SRC, respectively, (p = 0.115). The 5-year survival rates for patients with early SRC were better than those for patients with early non-SRC (96.1 vs. 89.6%, p = 0.01).

Conclusions: Early gastric SRC has favorable prognosis. There is no significant difference in terms of LN metastasis between SRC histologic type and other histological types. Less-invasive strategies may be acceptable in selected patients with early gastric SRC.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / diagnosis*
  • Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / mortality
  • Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / surgery
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Stomach Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Stomach Neoplasms / mortality
  • Stomach Neoplasms / surgery