Case Report
Copyright ©2013 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 28, 2013; 19(24): 3895-3898
Published online Jun 28, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i24.3895
Early-stage primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the colon
Jae Hyun Kim, Seun Ja Park, Moo In Park, Won Moon, Sung Eun Kim
Jae Hyun Kim, Seun Ja Park, Moo In Park, Won Moon, Sung Eun Kim, Department of Gastroenterology, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan 602-702, South Korea
Author contributions: Kim JH wrote the paper; Park SJ and Park MI made the endoscopic diagnoses; Moon W and Kim SE critically reviewed the manuscript for important intellectual content; Park SJ approved the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Seun Ja Park, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kosin University College of Medicine, 34 Amnam-dong, Seo-gu, Busan 602-702, South Korea. parksj6406@yahoo.co.kr
Telephone: +82-51-9905061  Fax: +82-51-9905055
Received: November 22, 2012
Revised: April 15, 2013
Accepted: May 18, 2013
Published online: June 28, 2013
Abstract

Primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the colorectum detected at an early stage is very rare; most cases are detected at an advanced stage. Therefore, its prognosis is poorer than that of ordinary colorectal cancer. A 56-year-old Korean man was seen at this hospital for management of signet ring cell carcinoma of the colon. Colonoscopic examination revealed a IIa-like, ill-defined and flatly elevated 9-mm residual tumor in the cecum. Endoscopic mucosal resection was preformed. Pathological examination of the resected specimen revealed signet ring cell carcinoma that had invaded the lamina propria without venous or perineural invasion. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) and positron CT showed no evidence of primary lesions or distant metastasis. An additional laparoscopic right-hemicolectomy was performed; no residual tumor or lymph node metastasis was found. We report a case of primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the colon detected at an early stage and provide a review of the literature.

Keywords: Colon carcinoma, Signet ring cell carcinoma, Primary carcinoma, Early stage, Endoscopic mucosal resection

Core tip: Primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the colorectum detected at an early stage is very rare; most cases are detected at an advanced stage. Therefore, its prognosis is poorer than that of ordinary colorectal cancer. We report a case of primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the colon detected at an early stage and provide a review of the literature.