Phenotypic classifi cation of gastric signet ring cell carcinoma and its relationship with clinicopathologic parameters and prognosis

AIM: To distinguish subtypes of gastric signet ring cell (SRC) carcinoma by investigating the expression of gastric and intestinal phenotypic markers, and to study the signifi cance of phenotypic classifi cation in predicting tumor progression and outcome. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was performed in 66 cases of SRC carcinoma with MUC2, VILLIN, CDX2, Li- cadherin antibodies as intestinal phenotype markers and MUC5AC, HGM, MUC6 antibodies as gastric phenotype markers, and the relationship was analyzed between the phenotypic expression pattern and clinicopathologic parameters, as well as the 3-year survival rate. RESULTS: Expression of intestinal phenotypic markers was positively associated with tumor size, wall invasion, vascular invasion, lymph node metastasis and tumor- node-metastasis (TNM) stage. Cases expressing one or more intestinal markers had a significant lower survival rate than cases expressing none of the intestinal markers.