Reduced E-cadherin expression as a cause of distinctive signet-ring cell variant in colorectal carcinoma

Colorectal signet-ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) is a rare type of adenocarcinoma and presents with distinctive clinicopathological features. This study was performed to assess the biological characteristics of colorectal SRCC regarding the E-cadherin expression. Seventeen patients with primary colorectal SRCC were identified and their clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed. The mean age of the 17 patients was 45.3 yr (14-68). Immunohistochemical staining of E-cadherin and beta-catenin were performed in ten colorectal SRCCs and in 30 ordinary colorectal adenocarcinomas as control. Primary colorectal SRCC occurred in 0.7% of 2,388 colorectal adenocarcinomas. Most patients had advanced stage tumor at surgery (stage III and IV, AJCC: 82%). Five-year survival rate was 16%. Peritoneal seeding was the most common recurrence pattern (41%) and liver metastasis was not identified. All SRCCs showed a markedly reduced or absent expression of E-cadherin on immunohistochemical staining, whereas seven (23.3%) of ordinary carcinomas showed reduced expression, thereby indicating a significant difference between the two groups (p<0.005). In immunohistochemical staining for beta-catenin, eight of ten SRCCs showed reduced membrane expression that did not attain statistical significance compared to ordinary adenocarcinomas. It is suggested that aberrant E-cadherin expression may explain the distinct clinicopathological features in primary colorectal SRCC.