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Case Reports: Findings that shed new light on the possible pathogenesis of a disease
Pure signet ring cell carcinoma of the breast: a rare entity
  1. Teresa Maria Costa1,
  2. Fatima Alves1,
  3. Helena Miranda2 and
  4. Rita Sampaio1
  1. 1Surgical Pathology, Unidade Local de Saúde Lisboa Ocidental, Lisboa, Portugal
  2. 2Oncology, Unidade Local de Saúde Lisboa Ocidental, Lisboa, Portugal
  1. Correspondence to Dr Teresa Maria Costa; teresaalpedrinha{at}gmail.com

Abstract

Signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) is defined as carcinoma composed of epithelial cells with intracytoplasmic mucin that causes peripheral displacement of the nucleus, creating a crescent-shaped morphology. It can arise in many organs; however, pure primary SRCC of the breast is very rare. The WHO classification of tumours placed SRCC of the breast under mucin-producing carcinomas; however, nowadays, it is no longer regarded as a histological variant of invasive carcinoma. To date, only few cases have been reported in the literature. This report presents a woman in her 70s with primary pure SRCC of the breast. The patient underwent right lumpectomy with sentinel lymph node dissection and was proposed adjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy and hormonal treatment. She had no disease relapse until today. The histological features and treatment approach of this rare entity are debated in light of relevant literature.

  • Breast cancer
  • Carcinogenesis
  • Chemotherapy
  • Pathology
  • Surgical oncology

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2022-252263

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors The following author was responsible for drafting of the text, sourcing and editing of clinical images, investigation results, drawing original diagrams and algorithms, and critical revision for important intellectual content: TMC. The following authors gave final approval of the manuscript: TMC, FA, RS, HM. TMC is responsible for the overall content (as guarantor) and accepts full responsibility for the finished work and/or the conduct of the study, had access to the data and controlled the decision to publish.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Case reports provide a valuable learning resource for the scientific community and can indicate areas of interest for future research. They should not be used in isolation to guide treatment choices or public health policy.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.