Mucin-producing gastric cancer: clinicopathological difference between signet ring cell carcinoma and mucinous carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Signet ring cell carcinoma and mucinous carcinoma are mucin-producing gastric cancers. Their clinicopathological difference was obscure.


METHODS
From December 1987 to July 2005, a total of 1612 gastric cancer patients received curative surgery, 128 patients with signet ring cell carcinoma and 48 with mucinous carcinoma were enrolled in this study. Clinicopathological data were compared between the two groups.


RESULTS
Early stage (stage I and II) patients with mucinous carcinoma were associated with more male predominant (p = 0.002), larger tumor size (p = 0.020), deeper cancer invasion (p < 0.001), and a worse 5-year overall survival (63.6% vs 88.2%, p = 0.012) than those with signet ring cell carcinoma. There was no significant difference between the two groups with advanced stage in 5-year overall survival. There is no significant difference in the initial recurrence pattern between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with mucinous carcinoma had different biological behaviors with those with signet ring cell carcinoma, in particular early stage, hence had a worse survival.
Fang
Wen-Liang
WL
Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Wu
Chew-Wun
CW
Lo
Su-Shin
SS
Chen
Jen-Hao
JH
Hsieh
Mao-Chih
MC
Shen
King-Han
KH
Li
Anna Fen-Yau
AF
Tai
Ling-Chen
LC
Lui
Wing-Yiu
WY
D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D018279:Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome