Progressive blindness caused by metastatic occult signet-ring cell gastric carcinoma
J. A. McCrary 3rd, J. R. Patrinely and R. L. Font
We described a metastatic signet-ring cell gastric adenocarcinoma in a
60-year-old woman who complained of progressive visual loss. The discovery
of signet-ring cells in the cerebrospinal fluid established the diagnosis
of mucus-secreting adenocarcinoma. Histologic study of an ulcerated lesion
in the lesser curvature of the stomach established the diagnosis of primary
gastric adenocarcinoma. When confronted by a patient with impaired function
of the cerebral cortex, cranial nerves, and spinal nerve roots that results
in progressive neurologic deterioration, leptomeningeal carcinomatosis
should be considered and repeated cytologic examinations of spinal fluid
should be obtained.
