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Signet ring cell

{{Short description|Cell with a large vacuole}}File:Signet ring cell.jpg

File:Byzantine - Ring with an Intaglio of Pan - Walters 571580 - Top.jpg for comparison.]]

In histology, a signet ring cell is a cell with a large vacuole. The malignant type is seen predominantly in carcinomas.

Signet ring cells are most frequently associated with stomach cancer,Cancer Research UK. Signet Ring Cancer. cancerhelp.org.uk. URL: [http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=7581 http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=7581] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014021951/http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=7581 |date=2007-10-14 }}. Accessed on: November 2, 2007. but can arise from any number of tissues including the prostate,{{cite journal |vauthors=Leong FJ, Leong AS, Swift J |title=Signet-ring carcinoma of the prostate |journal=Pathol. Res. Pract. |volume=192 |issue=12 |pages=1232–8; discussion 1239–41 |year=1996 |pmid=9182294 |doi=10.1016/S0344-0338(96)80156-7}} bladder, gallbladder,{{cite journal |vauthors=Jain V, Gupta K, Kudva R, Rodrigues GS |title=A case of ovarian metastasis of gallbladder carcinoma simulating primary ovarian neoplasm: diagnostic pitfalls and review of literature |journal=Int. J. Gynecol. Cancer |volume=16 Suppl 1 |pages=319–21 |year=2006 |pmid=16515613 |doi=10.1111/j.1525-1438.2006.00335.x}} breast, colon,{{cite journal |vauthors=Makino T, Tsujinaka T, Mishima H, etal |title=Primary signet-ring cell carcinoma of the colon and rectum: report of eight cases and review of 154 Japanese cases |journal=Hepatogastroenterology |volume=53 |issue=72 |pages=845–9 |year=2006 |pmid=17153438 }} ovarian stroma and testis.{{cite journal |vauthors=Michal M, Hes O, Kazakov DV |title=Primary signet-ring stromal tumor of the testis |journal=Virchows Arch. |volume=447 |issue=1 |pages=107–10 |year=2005 |pmid=15909171 |doi=10.1007/s00428-005-1218-2}}

Types

The NCI Thesaurus identifies the following types of signet ring cell

Appearance

The name of the cell comes from its appearance; 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 a finger hole and the nucleus mimics the appearance of the face of the ring in profile.

Image:Gastric signet ring cell carcinoma histopatholgy (1).jpg|Gastric signet ring cell carcinoma. H&E stain.

File:Signet ring-like foamy macrophage.png|A signet ring-like foamy macrophage, which may mimic a cancer cell, but the texture of the nucleus is similar to that of a normal macrophage.

Image:Signet ring cells 5.jpg|High magnification micrograph showing signet ring cells, with clear cytoplasm, in metastatic breast carcinoma. H&E stain.

Image:Gastric signet ring cell carcinoma histopatholgy (2) PAS stain.jpg|Signet ring cells (magenta) stained with PAS in a gastric signet ring cell carcinoma.

Diagnostic significance

A significant number of signet ring cells, generally, are associated with a worse prognosis.{{cite journal |vauthors=Lee WS, Chun HK, Lee WY, etal |title=Treatment outcomes in patients with signet ring cell carcinoma of the colorectum |journal=Am. J. Surg. |volume=194 |issue=3 |pages=294–8 |year=2007 |pmid=17693269 |doi=10.1016/j.amjsurg.2006.12.041}}Cabebe EC, Mehta VK, Fisher G. Gastric Cancer. eMedicine.com. URL: [http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic845.htm http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic845.htm]. Accessed on: November 8, 2007.

Classification of carcinomas

SRC carcinomas can be classified using immunohistochemistry.{{cite journal |vauthors=Tian MM, Zhao AL, Li ZW, Li JY |title=Phenotypic classification of gastric signet ring cell carcinoma and its relationship with clinicopathologic parameters and prognosis |journal=World J. Gastroenterol. |volume=13 |issue=23 |pages=3189–98 |year=2007 |pmid=17589897 }}

See also

References

External links

  • [http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/GIHTML/GI029.html Signet ring cells] - med.Utah.edu.
  • [http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary?CdrID=44297 Signet ring cell definition] - cancer.gov.
  • [http://sites.google.com/site/signetringcancer/info Signet ring cell cancer information] - sites.google.com/site/signetringcancer.

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Category:Histopathology