Mucin-producing carcinoma of the prostate: Review of 88 cases

Objectives. To report on a case of mucinous carcinoma of the prostate and d iscuss the clinical and histopathologic features of the mucin-producing car cinoma of the prostate from a review of published reports. Methods. Our case and 87 other previously reported cases were evaluated cli nically and histologically. Results. We encountered a case of mucinous carcinoma of the prostate, Stage C, which was treated by radical prostatectomy. After reviewing it and the 87 other cases, we believe that these cases of mucin-producing carcinomas c an be divided into three groups: 60 cases of mucinous carcinoma, 17 cases o f primary signet-ring cell carcinoma, and II cases of mucinous carcinoma wi th signet-ring cells. Mucinous carcinoma is a variant of high-grade adenoca rcinoma of the prostate, wherein there is a 77.8% rate of prostate-specific antigen elevation and a similar rate (77.8%) of response to endocrine ther apy. Fifty percent of patients survived 3 years and 25%, 5 years. In contra st, primary signet-ring cell carcinoma conveys one of the worst prognoses a mong patients with prostate cancer. There are no reliable tumor markers, an d there was no response to endocrine therapy. Patients with primary signet- ring cell carcinoma had a 27.3% 3-year survival rate; none survived to 5 ye ars. The clinical features of mucinous carcinoma with signet-ring cells are very similar to primary signet-ring cell carcinoma; again, there was no re sponse to endocrine therapy and the 3-year survival rate was 16.7%. Conclusions. Although it has been suggested that mucinous carcinoma is a va riant of high-grade adenocarcinoma of the prostate, signet-ring cell carcin oma and mucinous carcinoma with signet-ring cells are other variants of car cinoma that develop in the prostate, and their prognoses are very poor. URO LOGY 54: 141-144, 1999. (C) 1999, Elsevier Science Inc.