Diffusely infiltrating primary colorectal carcinoma of linitis plastica and lymphangiosis types

✍ Scribed by Hideto Nakahara; Tsutomu Ishikawa; Masayuki Itabashi; Teruyuki Hirota

• Book ID: 102669484
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1992
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 730 KB
• Volume: 69
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-543X
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(19920215)69:4<901::aid-cncr2820690411>3.0.co;2-5

✦ Synopsis

A review of 2369 cases of resected primary colorectal carcinoma identified 15 cases of diffusely infiltrating colorectal carcinoma. Depending on the histologic pattern and extent, these cases were classified as linitis plastica (LP) type (seven cases) or lymphangiosis (LA) type (eight cases). The LP type consisted of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma or signet ring cell carcinoma; it showed an annularly thickened and rigid bowel wall. The LA type consisted of moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. The colon wall of the LA type was hemilaterally thickened at the mesenteric side. The prognosis was extremely poor for both types. The LP type mainly had peritoneal dissemination (70%), but the LA type frequently had distant metastasis (88%). Early diagnosis and curative operation are important for both types; however, the LA type also requires therapy for distant metastasis. Cancer 1992: 69~901-906.

Diffusely infiltrating primary colorectal carcinoma is a rare disease. This type of carcinoma extensively spreads beneath the mucosal layer.' Clinically, it resembles inflammatory colorectal diseases and metastatic carcinoma and is difficult to diagnosis.' Moreover, the prognosis is extremely poor.3 Currently, more than 80 cases of this type of carcinoma have been reported in the English literat~re.~ Histologically, it has been reported that this type of carcinoma consists of poorly differentiated or signet ring cell carcinoma and is accompanied by a severe stromal desmoplastic reaction, showing a so-called linitis plastica (LP) type appearan~e.~ How-From the