There are many types of cancer. One type is adenocarcinoma. Adenocarcinomas develop from tiny glands in the lining tissues of organs. For example, an adenocarcinoma of the stomach is a cancer that has developed from glands in the lining of the stomach.
Signet ring cell cancer is a type of adenocarcinoma. It gets its name from the appearance of the cancer cells, which resemble a signet ring, when looked at under a microscope.
Signet ring cell cancers are most often seen in adenocarcinomas of the stomach and large bowel (the colon and rectum). They make up about 1 in 10 adenocarcinomas of the stomach, and about 1 in 100 adenocarcinomas of the colon and rectum.
When they develop in the stomach, signet ring cell cancers are often found at an earlier stage than other adenocarcinomas and so may be more curable. Signet ring cell cancers of the colon and rectum tend to be more aggressive than other types of adenocarcinoma and are more difficult to cure.
Signet ring cell cancers are treated in the same way as other adenocarcinomas of the stomach and bowel. Surgery is usually the first line of treatment.
References
- Maehara Y et al. Signet ring cell carcinoma of the stomach. Cancer, 1992; 69: 1645-1650
- Kim JP et al. Prognostic significance of signet ring cell carcinoma of the stomach. Surgical Oncology, 1994; 3: 221-227.
- O'Connell JB et al. Colon cancer survival rates with the new American Joint Committee on Cancer sixth edition staging. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2004; 96: 1420-1425