All You Must Know About Signet Ring Cancer!

Signet ring cancer or Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma is a subtype of colorectal cancer. Accounting to 1% of all colorectal cancers, SRCC is an aggressive variant, which usually affects the younger population. 

Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma tumour develops in the peritoneum – the thin membrane lining the pelvic and abdominal cavities, and covering most of the abdominal viscera – and spreads gradually to the lymphatic permeation of the lungs and to ovaries. 

Diagnosis and Treatment - 

SRCC diagnosis arbitrarily requires that 25% or more of the tumour be composed of signet ring cells – these cells are most frequently associated with gastrointestinal or stomach cancer but may arise from any number of tissues, including the bladder, prostate, breast, gallbladder, colon, testis, and ovarian stroma. A biopsy is also performed to diagnose cancer. 

Most patients are diagnosed with Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma at an advanced stage due to the absence of specific symptoms. Usually, SRCC patients are administered combination chemotherapy, as with patients with any other form of gastric cancer. 

In rare cases, doctors may suggest removing stomach cancer using surgery. This is typically done when the disease has metastasized to affect other organs or parts of the body. 

As for the diet, nutritional support of stomach cancer is a vital component of the treatment. Many patients complain of malnourishment or of not being able to eat properly following diagnosis. Liquid supplements for nutrition are recommended if the patient is unable to take in food orally. Feeding tube placement may be needed if he/she is having difficulty swallowing.

Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma of the rectum and colon is a rare entity with a reported incidence of less than 1%. Since the particular type of cancer has an extremely poor prognosis, it is necessary to diagnose the disease early diagnosis and adopt an aggressive treatment strategy. Discuss the possible outcomes with your oncologist before going ahead with the treatment plan.