3230 Metastatic Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma to the Pelvis in a Young Female

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INTRODUCTION: Gastric Cancer is the fifth most frequently diagnosed cancer in the world. While the incidence of gastric cancer has been decreasing, the incidence of signet-ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) continues to increase; with data from 2014 SEER analysis showing incidence of 0.4 per 100,000 cases [1-3]. The incidence of SRCC has increased ten-fold between 1970 and 2000 [3]. SRCC tends to occur in younger patients with a mean age ranging from 55 to 61 years [4]. Here we present a case of SRCC in a 23-year-old female with metastasis to the pelvis. CASE DESCRIPTION/METHODS: 23-year-old female w/medical history of iron deficiency anemia presents with 6 months of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and 20-pound weight loss. CT scan showed a 4 cm mass of the right pelvic side wall contiguous with the uterus and ascites. Recent endoscopy showed a 4 cm ulcerated mass in the body of the stomach, pathology was positive for poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with signet ring cell features invading the lamina propria positive for CK20, CK7, AE1/3, EMA. Patient underwent laparoscopy, pelvic washing and peritoneal biopsy, which was positive for malignant cells. The immunostains were positive for CK7, Ber-EP4, MOC31; consistent with gastric adenocarcinoma. Further imaging did not show any distant metastasis and she was referred to oncology after discharge for further treatment. DISCUSSION: SRCC carries a poor prognosis and therapeutic strategy remains unclear; overall prognosis depends on the stage of the cancer [3]. Some studies have shown that prognosis of early stage SRCC cancer might be equivalent to other gastric adenocarcinomas. On the other hand, prognosis of advanced SRCC is very poor with a 5-year survival rate as low as 9% [3]. SRCC differs significantly from non-SRCC oncogenic pathway, as it involves loss of cell-cell adhesion and collection of mucin in large vacuoles. It has been shown that e-cadherin deficiency might initiate carcinogenesis in SRCC at an earlier stage than other cancers [3]. Furthermore, as compared to non-SRCC cancers, gastric SRC patients has reduced sensitivity to chemotherapy [5]. Young patients with SRCC tend to present with more advanced disease; however, they have improved survival as compared to older patients [6]. This is consistent with our young female patient, who presented with metastatic disease. Further studies need to be done concerning treatment strategies and prognostic factors in young patients who present with advanced SRCC.