Signet-Ring Cell Colon Cancer in a Teenager: A Case Report

The majority of colon cancers are diagnosed in the older population, though recent trends have demonstrated an increase in younger patients. Most colon cancers are considered adenocarcinoma. There are multiple histologic subtypes with varying prognoses. Mucinous types such as signet-ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) are more aggressive with poor outcomes. SRCC frequently presents with metastatic disease which contributes to its poor prognosis. It is most commonly diagnosed around age 40. SRCC of colonic origin is very rare and comprises only 1% of colorectal cancers. Rarer still is presentation in the teenaged patient, especially in the absence of any risk factors. We present a case of an 18-year-old male with colonic SRCC. The patient presented initially with vague abdominal discomfort and three weeks later was found to have a near-obstructing right-sided colon mass. He was taken to the operating room and found to have diffuse carcinomatosis. The patient underwent palliative loop ileostomy with plans for subsequent chemotherapy.