Signet ring cell carcinoma

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Signet ring cell carcinoma
Diagnosis in short

Signet ring cell carcinoma. H&E stain

LM ovoid cells with abundant cytoplasm and a peripheral crescentic hyperchromatic nucleus
LM DDx serous fat atrophy, benign histiocytes (mucocele, xanthoma)
Stains mucicarmine stain, PAS stain
IHC pankeratin +ve, CD68 -ve
Site stomach, small intestine, large intestine, breast, pancreas, urinary bladder, prostate gland, lung

Associated Dx Invasive lobular carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma
Syndromes familial diffuse gastric cancer

Prevalence uncommon
Endoscopy linitis plastica (classic finding in the stomach)
Prognosis poor
Signet ring cell carcinoma
External resources
EHVSC 9982
Wikipedia Signet ring cell carcinoma

Signet ring cell carcinoma, abbreviated SRCC, is a type of malignant epithelial neoplasm that can arise from a number of places. It is commonly associated with the stomach.

General

  • It has been said that there are two types of pathologists... those that have missed SRCCs and those that will miss SRCCs.

Differential diagnosis

It may arise from the:[1]

Microscopic

Features:

  • Signet ring cells resemble signet rings.
    • They contain a large amount of mucin, which pushes the nucleus to the cell periphery.
    • The pool of mucin in a signet ring cell mimics the appearance of the finger hole.
    • The nucleus mimics the appearance of the face of the ring in profile.
  • Signet ring cells are typically 2-3x the size of a lymphocyte.
    • Smaller than the typical adipocyte.
  • Often have a crescent-shaped or ovoid nucleus.
    • Capillaries sectioned on their lumen have endothelial cells - the nuclei of these are more spindled.

Note:

  • SRCs are usually close to friend, i.e. they are adjacent to another SRC.
    • This helps differentiate SRCs from capillaries sectioned on their lumen.
  • The mucin is often clear on H&E... but maybe eosinophilic.

DDx:

  • Serous fat atrophy.[2]
  • Mucocele - muciphages may mimic signet ring cells.[3]
    • Muciphages = cytoplasm lightly eosinophilic, multivaculated (classic) or finely reticulated.

Images

www:

Stains

  • PAS stain +ve.
  • Alican blue-PAS stain +ve.

IHC

  • AE1/AE3 +ve.
  • CK7 +ve.

See also

References

  1. URL: http://cancerhelp.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-questions/what-is-a-signet-cell-cancer. Accessed on: 7 March 2012.
  2. Clarke, BE.; Brown, DJ.; Xipell, JM. (Jan 1983). "Gelatinous transformation of the bone marrow.". Pathology 15 (1): 85-8. PMID 6222282.
  3. De Petris, G.; Lev, R.; Siew, S. (May 1998). "Peritumoral and nodal muciphages.". Am J Surg Pathol 22 (5): 545-9. PMID 9591723.