Signet-ring cell carcinoma presenting in the uterine cervix: report of a primary and 2 metastatic cases.

Signet-ring cell carcinoma presenting in the uterine cervix is an uncommon neoplasm. It is usually a metastasis from a primary gastric tumor; only rarely, cervical involvement is the first manifestation of the disease. Primary signet-ring carcinoma of the cervix is extremely unusual, and it is always necessary to rule out a metastatic neoplasm. We report 3 cases of signet-ring cell carcinoma diagnosed in cervical biopsies. All cases were initially considered as metastatic, but a primary site other than the cervix could be confirmed in only 2 cases. Although autopsy was not authorized, a very comprehensive clinical workup and the evolution of the disease support the interpretation of the third case as a primary neoplasm. Primary signet-ring cell carcinoma of the cervix is an extraordinary event-the diagnosis of which requires excluding a metastasis from the gastrointestinal tract (usually the stomach), the ovary, or the breast.