Ordinary colorectal adenocarcinoma vs. primary colorectal signet-ring cell carcinoma

Abstract

Signet-ring cell cancer represents a rare but distinctive primary neoplasm of the large bowel. It is frequently diagnosed in an advanced tumor stage, thus showing an overall poorer prognosis than nonsignet colorectal carcinoma. Usually only palliative surgery is possible. A high incidence of peritoneal seeding and a low incidence of hepatic metastasis is characteristic of signet-ring cell cancer.