Signet Ring Cell Colon Cancer

Please feel free to read, share your thoughts, your stories and connect with others!
TMHRCH
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2018 8:24 am
Location: Schertz, TX

Signet Ring Cell Colon Cancer

Postby TMHRCH » Mon Jul 23, 2018 10:03 pm

I was diagnosed with Signet Ring Cell Colon Cancer in October 2017. I had my sigmoid colon removed and "extreme" endometriosis on my ovaries and rectum. It has been an "interesting" time since labor day weekend 2017 when evidently my tumor exploded inside my colon and decided it wanted to be known. The surgeon said it most likely had been growing for 10 to 15 years. Until that weekend I never had any bowel issues or pain which she found very surprising considering the amount of endometriosis there was and the size of the tumor but as much as I have been thinking back over the years, I don't anything that stands out. My official diagnosis was signet ring cell adenocarcinoma T4aN2bM1c. I just completed 10 treatments of chemotherapy which was very hard on my body, numerous delays and shots due to the side effects. It's been about 5 weeks and I still have absolutely no appetite. I never was a big eater but I actually miss food "sounding good" or being satisfying. I mostly eat something here and there so my family doesn't freak out.
Does anyone have any experience with the signet ring cell, or where there is information on it? I can't find much literature on it and what I do is not very positive at all and is about 5 years old. I have another scan tomorrow to see if any more tumors have appeared. I feel like I'm doing time in between scans now just waiting for the news that the expiration date is coming.......makes me rethink my view of turning 50. Right now I would like to be able to. If it does spread, will I be able to continue to afford treatment. in the first 11 months, my out of pocket is over $40,000 and I have insurance but it sure doesn't feel like that until I add up the column of their share. I keep up a pretty positive front for my co-workers and family but I constantly worry about this dang disease no matter what I try to do.....I can't escape it.
Female Diagnosed @ 47
Signet Ring Cell Colon Cancer
T4aN2bM1c
Sigmoid Colon Removed 10/17
Ileostomy Reversal 11/17
Chemo 12/17-6/18 FOLFOX

rp1954
Posts: 1853
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:13 am

Re: Signet Ring Cell Colon Cancer

Postby rp1954 » Wed Jul 25, 2018 10:50 am

Signet Ring Cell colon cancer is rare, like 0.5-2%. So colorectal cancers with SRC components fundamentally have less familiarity and experience.

The papers I've read indicate it is often highly mutated including BRAF. I would definitely want MSI and KRAS/BRAF genetic profile information. I would post as much information (right/left, MSS-MSI, KRAS/BRAF, bloodwork CEA, CA199, LDH, MCV and CBC changes from diagnosis to present) as possible - to try to attract any other SRC experience specifically, and any biomarker or experience parallels generally.

To my mind, in your situation, I would look at two approaches to try to get ahead - either some PL1 checkpoint inhibitor combination for MSI-H (attack the microsatellite instability) or to attack a BRAF/KRAS mutation with a continuous application of mild/oral 5FU drug, a CRC stem cell inhibitor(s) (e.g. celecoxib/Celebrex and/or CA199 targeted cimetidine), IV vitamin C (for BRAF/KRAS mutants), and combinations of natural adjuncts. Natural adjuncts may help attack the cancer cells' specific weaknesses, as well as rebuild parts of your body, blood and immune components.
watchful, active researcher and caregiver for stage IVb/c CC. surgeries 4/10 sigmoid etc & 5/11 para-aortic LN cluster; 8 yrs immuno-Chemo for mCRC; now no chemo
most of 2010 Life Extension recommendations and possibilities + more, some (much) higher, peaking ~2011-12, taper chemo to almost nothing mid 2018, IV C-->2021. Now supplements

TMHRCH
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2018 8:24 am
Location: Schertz, TX

Re: Signet Ring Cell Colon Cancer

Postby TMHRCH » Wed Jul 25, 2018 11:38 am

Thank you for your post. I tested negative for KRAS/BRAF & NRAS. I don't see anything on my reports about MSI. I did have genetic testing done because of my age and no family history and that was negative too. Evidently I'm just "lucky". I seemed to get almost every side effect of shots and treatments given also.
Yesterday's ct scan took over an hour and about 8 attempts to get the iv hooked up to be able to complete the scan. I really wish they would have someone trained to access ports at the imaging place for the patience who have them, it would have made the experience much better. Find out the results Friday and have blood work done......hoping they are clear and platelets and neutrophils are behaving themselves!! I really don't want to do chemo again but I know if it spreads I have to do whatever it takes to keep me here.
Female Diagnosed @ 47
Signet Ring Cell Colon Cancer
T4aN2bM1c
Sigmoid Colon Removed 10/17
Ileostomy Reversal 11/17
Chemo 12/17-6/18 FOLFOX

steveincolorado
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2012 6:39 pm
Location: East of Colorado Springs, Colorado

Re: Signet Ring Cell Colon Cancer

Postby steveincolorado » Sun Aug 05, 2018 10:47 pm

Hi TMHRCH,

I too was diagnosed with Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma. My cancer penetrated all walls of the colon and infected 12 lymph nodes. I was told this is a very aggressive form of colon cancer and grows faster than normal. The oncologist was prepared to fight Stage IV colon cancer. Strangely my PET scan showed that the cancer hadn't moved beyond the lymph nodes and I ended up staged at 3C. My prognosis was pretty bleak at the time with less than a 25% five-year survival rate.

I was diagnosed on 6 August 2012, had resection surgery 3 weeks later and ended six months of chemo in March of 2013. I'm still here and all my scans and blood work have been normal too date.

Looking back six years, I now wish I hadn't played doctor google and searched out survival statistics. I was convinced I wouldn't survive another year but I'm still here. Stay positive you can beat this thing.

Steve in Colorado
DX Stage IIIC 6 Aug 2012 at age 58
Resection 27 Aug 2012
PET scan 25 Sep 2012 no further cancer detected
Chemo started 15 Oct 2012
--Oxaliplatin
--Fluorouracil
--Leucovorin
Chemo completed 20 March 2013
CT scan 25 April 2013 No sign of cancer

Gaileellis
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 10:56 am

Re: Signet Ring Cell Colon Cancer

Postby Gaileellis » Thu Aug 09, 2018 11:41 am

I was diagnosed with SRC adenocarcinoma of the appendix and small intestine,ileum,and cecum, stage 4, in February of 2018. Had surgery to remove my ascending colon, part of my transverse colon, part of the ileum,the cecum and appendix. The cancer had spread the peritoneum, just a small spot that was removed during surgery, but it threw me into the stage 4 diagnosis. Have completed 9 of 12 planned chemo treatments of a combination of oxyplatin and FU-5. Had a PET scan 4 weeks ago....clean except for an inflammation where the surgical site was. Inflammation attributed to C-diff....am on my 3rd round of antibiotics to cure this....this time for 6 weeks.
Neuropathy seems to be my major complaint...my tongue feels burnt all the time, And it is in my hands and feet. Also nosebleeds and fatigue for several days after the steroid wears off....starts usually the same day I get my pump off. Doctor is thinking of switching me off oxyplatin and on to another drug. The new drug will not cause the neuropathy, but it will cause me to lose all my hair and some diarrhea. I cannot remember the name of the new drug....I don’t really care that much about losing the rest of my hair...it will grow back.
It does seem likely that the cancer will return, given the stats I’ve been reading. I wish there was more info on this....more current info. If I knew I was only going to live a few more years, I would make different decisions about the rest of my life. I am 66 years old and my husband is 76.....both of us still work. Aside from the cancer, my health has always been excellent and the second week after chemo is usually not bad. I’d like to spend some of the money we worked so hard to save for retirement.....hubby is still worried we won’t have enough money for retirement....I don’t think we’re going to live another 15 years.
Any thoughts from my more experienced cancer buddies?

Goldfish
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2016 10:45 am
Location: The Netherlands

Re: Signet Ring Cell Colon Cancer

Postby Goldfish » Sun Aug 26, 2018 2:22 pm

The idea is that Signet Ring Cells are very heterogeneous, so its difficult to compare cases as far as chances of survival matter. But in general the pessimistic Dr Google has a point. Apperently I hosted one of the lesser evil varieties as 4 cycles of CapOx prior to HIPEC surgery did a number on the existing three mets in my peritoneum. Still considered NED since HIPEC dec 2015 (Amsterdam), yet my four surgically proven mets never showed up on 3 CTs and 1 MRI and were even missed during my first surgery (number one was removed unknowingly together with the primairy CRC during my first surgery).
dx at 42yrs, kids 6 and 3, married.
07/15 SR CRC T4,N2,M1 (peritoneum), 8/39, CEA 1.4
09/15 CEA 3 start Sandwich procedure Capox 4rnds around HIPEC
10/15 CEA 5 . Abnormal nodes lungs. Laesies in liver, too small to be identified so cleared for HIPEC
12/15 Hipec 3 tiny -yet alive- mets removed (Douglas pouch). Unexpected LAMN tumor appendix resected. Colostomy, 2nd resc. of sigmoid 0/19.
01/16 CapOx 3x, 1x Mono Cap
05/16 CT: NED CEA 2
08/16 CEA 1
11/16 CT: NED , CEA 1
06/18 NED, CEA <1, CA19-9 7


Return to “Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 94 guests