signet ring cell

signet ring cell

A usually malignant cell containing copious clear cytoplasm that flattens a hyperchromatic nucleus to one side, having an appearance fancifully likened to a signet ring; CAs composed predominantly of SRCs often carry a worse prognosis; the 'classic'–and most common SRC occurs in the stomach, but is well described in CA of the breast, colon, gallbladder, lung, nasal cavity, prostate, thyroid–medullary carcinoma, urinary bladder, malignant SRCs may also be seen in non-epithelial malignancies–eg, mesothelioma, rhabdomyosarcoma, balloon cell melanoma, oligodendroglioma, myxoid angioblastomatosis, myxoid liposarcoma, lymphoma, and is a morphology typical of normal fat cells and oligodendrogliocytes