Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery

, Volume 389, Issue 3, pp 178–183 | Cite as

Primary signet-ring cell carcinoma of the colorectum

  • Birgit Bittorf
  • Susanne Merkel
  • Klaus E. Matzel
  • Axel Wein
  • Arno Dimmler
  • Werner Hohenberger
Original Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Background

Objective of the study was to investigate particular clinicopathological features of colorectal signet-ring cell carcinoma.

Methods

The data of 34 patients with primary colorectal signet-ring cell carcinoma were compared with those of 4,458 consecutive patients with primary non-signet-ring cell colorectal adenocarcinoma between 1978 and 1999. For outcome analysis patients, after curative resection of signet-ring cell cancer, were matched for age, gender, tumour site and stage with patients suffering from poorly differentiated non-signet-ring cell colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Results

Signet-ring cell carcinoma patients were significantly younger than patients with non-signet-ring cell colorectal adenocarcinoma (median age 60 years vs 64 years, P=0.033). The most common tumour sites were the rectum (47%) and the right hemicolon (29%). They presented with significantly more advanced tumour stages and a significantly higher frequency of distant metastases (44% vs 21%, P=0.002). The rate of curative resections was significantly lower (35% vs 79%, P<0.001). However, the prognosis after curative resection of signet-ring cell cancer was as poor as in poorly differentiated non-signet-ring cell colorectal adenocarcinoma of the same stage (5-year survival rate 46% vs 57%, p=0.935).

Conclusions

Colorectal signet-ring cell carcinoma is characterized by diagnosis in more advanced tumour stages resulting in lower rates of curative resection. Prognosis is as poor as in non-signet-ring cell colorectal cancer of low differentiation in the same stage.

Keywords

Signet-ring cell Colorectal cancer Clinicopathological features 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2004

Authors and Affiliations

  • Birgit Bittorf
    • 1
  • Susanne Merkel
    • 1
  • Klaus E. Matzel
    • 1
  • Axel Wein
    • 2
  • Arno Dimmler
    • 3
  • Werner Hohenberger
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of SurgeryUniversity of Erlangen–NuremburgErlangenGermany
  2. 2.Department of Internal Medicine IUniversity of Erlangen–NuremburgErlangenGermany
  3. 3.Institute of PathologyUniversity of Erlangen–NuremburgErlangenGermany

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