Esophageal mucoepidermoid carcinoma containing signet-ring cells: Three case reports and a literature review

We report 3 cases of esophageal signet-ring cell carcinoma which were found in a set of 505 resected esophageal tumors. The incidence of esophageal. s ignet-ring cell carcinoma was 0.6%. All of the signet-ring cell carcinomas were histologically mixed with squamous cell carcinoma (mucoepidermoid carc inoma). The signet-ring cells had intracellular mucin, which was positive f or both periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and alcian blue at pH 2.5. At the time o f presentation, extensive extraesophageal tumor spread and local extension were found in all cases. All of the patients died within 2 years after the esophagectomy irrespective of whether they received chemotherapy or radioth erapy. Our results, and those previously reported, suggest that most esopha geal carcinomas containing signet-ring cell carcinoma are aggressive neopla sms associated with a poor prognosis after esophagectomy. J. Surg. Oncol. 1 999;71:54-57. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.