Signet ring cell lymphoma: a rare variant of follicular lymphoma
Graham Read1981, Journal of Clinical Pathology
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Abstract
A case of signet ring cell lymphoma, the eighth in published reports is recorded. This rare tumour is a variant of follicular lymphoma which may be mistaken for metastatic carcinoma. The case has been studied by light microscopy, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy and confirms that this subgroup has rather uniform characteristics. Observations on the possible origins of the vacuoles are presented.
Key takeaways
- PAS and Alcian blue stains on wax sections were negative in the vacuoles of the signet ring cells and elsewhere.
- The signet ring cells were identified as being of centrocytic lineage since, apart from the presence of their cytoplasmic vacuoles, they were ultrastructurally identical to the typical centrocytes.
- On first examination of the wax sections of the second biopsy the vacuoles were noted and we first thought that, because of their empty appearance, they might well be fixation artefacts.
- The place of signet ring cell lymphoma in the general classification oflymphomas On the limited evidence available signet ring lymphoma occupies a well-defined niche.
- This ultrastructural pattern does not, however, resemble the accumulations of RER which formed the cytoplasmic inclusions in cases IP, RW and MS of Kim et al.1 Previous workersl-3 with the exception of Moir4 also agree that immunoperoxidase stains demonstrate the presence of immunoglobulin within the signet-ring cells although they comment that staining is usually confined to a narrow peripheral rim of the vacuoles.
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