Acase of metastatic gastric cancer from rectal signet-ring cell carcinoma

Abstract

A 75-year-old man visited our hospital because of constipation and bloody stool. The inspection dayof colonoscopy, he was admitted due to a subileus condition. On colonoscopy Type 2 tumor was found in the rectum. On gastric endoscopy, three small gastric elevated leisions ware noted. The lesions appeared to be submucosal tumors with erosion on the top.
Microscopic findings of biopsy specimens of elevated leisionshowed signet ring cell carcinoma, similar to the primary rectum cancer. He was diagnosed with gastric cancer metastasized from rectal signet ring cell carcinoma from immunohistochemical staining. He underwent systemic chemotherapy but died of cancer progression 6 months. Immunohistochemical staining are useful tools to distinguish metastatic gastric cancer from primary gastric cancer.