Signet Ring Cell Cancer~~ HELP!

I am sorry for your Father's diagnosis, and, the stress that you and your family are experiencing.   Here is information from Dr. Google. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2996149/

zirbel25 said:

I have spent hours searching

I have spent hours searching Google. I have seen this article which is scary, but also old. Hoping to find more answers on here from people who have experienced this type of cancer.

Zirbel,

If you are "frantically searching Google," you are doing the wrong thing.  Any "learning about cancer" via the internet is ill-advised, unless you restrict yourself exclusively to scholarly journals and medical center sites. 90% of what you encounter otherwise will be trash/nonsense.  Why not learn about his disease from his doctor ? Legitimate sites would be places like Johns Hopkins Medical Center, MD Anderson, Sloan Kettering, the Cleveland Clinic, Stanford University Medical Center, and so forth.

Signet ring is a specialized form of adenocarcinomic cell, meaning granular cells derived from epithelial tissue. Virtually all PCa (prostate cancer) is derived from adenocarcinoma, but the signet classification is rare. As such, you will need an oncologist with special familiarity regarding this. Most likely, such doctors are rare. Actually, in my 4 years here, I do not recall signet ring mentioned before.

The remainder of your dad's biopsy report suggest aggressive disease (Gleason 8, with high volume involvement).  "Perineural involvement" means that the cancer cells have gotten under the sheathing or "insulation" around the nerves in the gland, a common avenue for metastatic escape.  But discovery of perineural involvement does not by itself prove metastasis, just the possibility thereof, which would have to be established otherwise.

Most likely the doctors will  view his case as what it would be, given these facts minus the signet attribute. This would suggest rapid start of radiation therapy.  This may involve neoadjuvant therapies, like hormonal treatments or even chemo, but chemo against PCa  generally is not as effective as it is against many other types of cancer.  But as I said, I would expect a combination of modalities begun.   

What sort of medical center is he at ?  He needs better-than-average.   As to you, "frantic" is never an effective mentality to operate from. Understandable, and not uncommon, just not effective.  Relax, and focus only on authoratative sources.

max

The report  stated: The carcinoma cell have focal signet ring cell feature.

Even without this statement, it is highly (!) advisable to have the slides re-read by a specialist. Dr Jon Epstein at Johns Hopkins is THE ultimate specialist. You just need to ask your urologist to have the slides send to him. The urologist's office should know how to do this.

Further info:

http://pathology.jhu.edu/department/services/secondopinion.cfm

YES, ask the doctor to send the slides to jon Epstein at Johns Hopkins...excellent advise by Old Salt.

zirbel25 said:

We live in New York and we

We live in New York and we are going to Sloan Kettering tomorrow. All of his slides and info should be there. I assume that they will be re-reading it. Do you suggest sending to Epstein regardless? My parents are so anxious and overhwhelmed right now that I can't suggest anything else to them at the moment because I am afraid it is causing them more stress. I guess we will see what we are facing tomorrow down at Sloan. Hoping for some good answers. Thank you all for responding, I know that this initial stage is the hardest. Thank you all again.

zir,

I had said you would likely need better-than -average care for your dad.  MSK is arguably the best in the world.

Dr. Peter Scardino is on staff there, their former director of surgery for many years, and still a senior resident surgeon. If your dad needs surgery (which I feel is probably doubtful), Scardino is one of the very best in the world. I'm glad you're in great hands,

max