内镜黏膜下剥离术在早期胃癌治疗中的应用

目的 探讨内镜黏膜下剥离术(ESD)治疗早期胃癌的有效性及安全性.方法 回顾性分析2007年7月至2008年7月上海长海医院采用ESD治疗43例早期胃癌患者的肿瘤一次性整块切除率、组织学治愈性切除率、手术时间、并发症、术后2个月溃疡愈合率、局部残留率及复发率.结果 ESD一次性整块切除率为97.7%(42/43),组织学治愈性切除率为95.3%(41/43).急性少量出血率及术后延迟出血率均为2.3%(1/43),术后中上腹痛发生率为51.2%(22/43),未发生急性大量出血、穿孔或死亡等严重并发症.平均手术时间为60.4 min.术后服用埃索美拉唑8周,胃镜随访ESD术后溃疡愈合率100%(42/42).平均随访10.3个月(8～18个月),局部无残留、复发及异时病灶发生.结论 ESD可提高一次性完整切除率和组织学治愈性切除率,是早期胃癌安全和有效的治疗方法.     

内镜黏膜下剥离术诊治高度可疑结直肠癌或癌前病变及共聚焦激光显微内镜在随访中的价值

目的探讨内镜黏膜下剥离术(Endoscopic submucosal dissection,ESD)治疗和诊断高度可疑或早期结直肠癌和癌前病变的有效性和安全性,比较整块活检病理与内镜活检病理对早期癌诊断意义及共聚焦激光显微内镜在随访中的价值。方法对于内镜下高度可疑早期结直肠癌或早期结直肠癌及癌前病变的19例患者行ESD治疗,术后评价ESD治疗相关的一次性整块切除率、组织学治愈性切除率、手术并发症;比较术后整块病理与术前内镜活检诊断符合率;在术后随访时用共聚焦激光显微内镜检查(1、3个月)以指导活检并观察局部复发情况。结果 19处病灶一次性整块切除率为94.7%(18/19),组织学治愈性切除率为84.2%(16/19);病变平均大小(2.3±0.5)cm,平均手术时间(70±19.4)min;术后腹痛2例,延迟性出血1例,内镜下钛夹止血成功,其余病例未发生急性或延迟性出血以及穿孔;术后病理:黏膜内癌7例,癌前病变10例,黏膜下癌2例,其中2例黏膜下癌均进一步补充开腹手术,术后切除病变肠段未发现癌组织残留和周边淋巴结转移;所有病例术后平均随访(24.6±8.0)个月,局部未见残留、复发及异时病灶发生;其中7例黏膜内癌ESD术后1、3个月采用共聚焦激光显微内镜检查以指导活检进行随访未见癌组织残留及复发。19处病灶ESD术后大块组织病理诊断符合率为100%,而术前活检病理诊断符合率仅为57.9%,有统计学意义(P0.01)。结论 ESD具有较高一次性整块切除率和组织学治愈性切除率,是一种治疗和诊断高度可疑或早期结直肠癌病变或癌前病变的安全有效的方法。共聚焦激光显微内镜可能对早期结直肠癌的术后随访具有一定的价值。     

内镜黏膜下剥离术与内镜黏膜切除术治疗早期胃癌患者的疗效比较

[目的]探究内镜黏膜下剥离术(ESD)与内镜黏膜切除术(EMR)治疗早期胃癌患者的疗效。[方法]选取2014-02—2016-12我院收治的186例早期胃癌患者,根据治疗方法的不同分为ESD组和EMR组,ESD组采用ESD进行治疗,EMR组采用EMR进行治疗,观察比较2组患者手术时间、住院时间及术中出血、穿孔的发生情况,并对2组患者进行病理组织学疗效评价。[结果]2组患者手术时间及住院时间比较差异无统计学意义。ESD组中有5例发生术中出血,2例发生穿孔;EMR组中有17例发生术中出血,9例发生穿孔。2组患者术中出血、穿孔发生情况比较差异均有统计学意义(χ2=6.853、4.422,P<0.05)。ESD组可能治愈性切除率、非治愈性切除率、肿瘤复发率低于EMR组(χ2=10.225、11.976、10.123,P<0.05),但ESD组一次性完全切除率、治愈性切除率高于EMR组(χ2=22.763、27.991,P<0.05),说明采用ESD治疗早期胃癌更彻底,2组病理组织学疗效评价比较差异均有统计学意义。[结论]采用ESD能有效降低早期胃癌患者术中出血及穿孔的发生情况,病灶切除彻底,肿瘤复发率低,值得在临床上进一步推广。     

内镜下黏膜切除术和内镜黏膜下剥离术治疗直肠类癌的对照研究

目的 评估内镜下黏膜切除术(EMR)和内镜黏膜下剥离术(ESD)治疗直肠类癌的有效性及安全性.方法 回顾性总结24例26处EMR治疗(EMR组)和19例20处ESD治疗(ESD组)的直肠类癌患者的临床资料,对比分析两组在病灶大小、手术时间、病灶整块切除率、组织病理学治愈性切除率、并发症及随访结果方面的差异.结果 ESD组术前超声内镜测量的直径大小为(7.4 ±5.3)mm,明显大于EMR组的(5.6 ±2.1)mm(P ＜0.05);ESD组手术时间为(32.6±10.5)min,明显长于EMR组的(8.9±6.3)min(P ＜0.05);EMR组和ESD组病灶均一次性完整切除,整块切除率均为100.0％;EMR组的组织病理学治愈性切除率为100.0％(26/26),略高于ESD组的95.0％ (19/20) (P＞0.05);EMR术后出血、穿孔并发症发生率为15.3％ (4/26),明显高于ESD组的5.0％ (1/20) (P＜0.05);两组在术后复查随访,均未发现局部复发.结论 对于直径小于7 mm的病灶应用EMR方法可以有效完整地切除病灶,并缩短手术时间;而对于直径大于7 mm和经过多次活检或局部切除后内镜下注射抬举征阴性的病灶,采取ESD的手术方式,方能得到比较满意的治疗效果.     

内镜黏膜下剥离术治疗巨大早期低位直肠癌及其癌前病变的价值

目的 评价内镜黏膜下剥离术(ESD)在治疗巨大早期低位直肠癌及其癌前病变中的价值.方法 对24例病变位于低位直肠且直径超过5 cm的早期直肠癌及其癌前病变患者的临床资料进行回顾性总结,分析其临床病理特征、治愈性切除率、并发症及随访结果.结果 病灶最长径在5～7 cm,平均为5.54 cm;操作时间在45～180 min,中位时间为85 min.整块切除率为91.7％(22/24),治愈性切除率为83.3％ (20/24),穿孔发生率为8.3％ (2/24),迟发性出血率为12.5％(3/24).术后随访16 ～ 47个月,无局部复发.结论 ESD治疗巨大早期低位直肠癌及其癌前病变是安全和可行的,可完整切除病灶,在达到治愈性切除及大块活检的目的同时保留了肛门的功能.     

内镜黏膜下剥离术的疗效及出血危险因素分析

目的 分析内镜黏膜下剥离术( ESD)治疗消化道黏膜浅表性病变的有效性及并发症的危险因素.方法 前瞻性观测上海长海医院应用ESD治疗154例消化道浅表性病变的效果以及并发症发生情况,并对后者发生率较高的出血及其相关危险因素进行统计学分析.结果 完成ESD的145例中,一次性整块切除率100.0％,其中组织学完全治愈性切除率99.3％;9例因术中出血(5例)或穿孔(4例)未能完成ESD.发生术中大量出血6例(6/154,3.9％),少量出血5例(3.2％),术后延迟出血1例(0.6％),消化道穿孔4例(2.6％),消化道狭窄1例(0.6％),以上均经相应治疗后好转,无死亡病例.术后残留1例,经再次ESD治愈.术后8周复查,溃疡愈合率100％;平均随访10.6(8 ～18)个月,无局部复发.ESD出血并发症的独立危险因素为:病变部位(贲门胃底部),病变面积(随着病变面积增大其危险度提高).结论 ESD是治疗消化道浅表性病变安全、有效的方法,严格掌握手术适应证、个体化治疗,有助于降低并发症发生.     

内镜黏膜下剥离术和内镜黏膜切除术治疗胃食管连接部癌前病变及早癌的疗效比较

目的 将内镜黏膜下剥离术(ESD)和内镜黏膜切除术(EMR)进行比较,评价ESD治疗胃食管连接部(GEJ)癌前病变及早癌的有效性及安全性.方法 分析28例经ESD治疗和51例经EMR治疗的GEJ癌前病变及早癌患者的临床资料,比较两种方法病灶整块切除率、组织学治愈性切除率、手术时间、并发症、复发率等.结果 ESD整块切除率为92.9％ (26/28),治愈切除率为78.6％(22/28)均优于EMR组的45.1％(23/51)和43.1％(22/51),两者差异有统计学意义(P均＜0.05).局部原位复发率ESD组为3.6％(1/28),明显低于EMR组的19.6％( 10/51) (P ＜0.05).术后延迟出血、穿孔、狭窄等严重并发症的发生ESD组与EMR组之间差异无统计学意义.平均手术时间ESD为(64.3±27.1)min,明显长于EMR( 27.6±14.1)min(P ＜0.05).结论 ESD和EMR相比,整块切除率及组织学治愈性切除率高,局部复发率低,是治疗GEJ癌前病变及早癌更为安全有效的方法.     

内镜黏膜下剥离术和内镜下黏膜切除术治疗早期胃癌的Meta分析

目的评价内镜黏膜下剥离术(ESD)和内镜下黏膜切除术(EMR)治疗早期胃癌(EGC)的疗效和安全性,为EGC内镜下治疗方式的合理选择提供临床依据。方法制定全面检索策略进行检索,结合纳入标准和排除标准获得文献,并进行质量评价,提取相关数据采用Rev Man5.0软件进行Meta分析。结果根据检索策略最初共检出656篇,最终纳入符合入选标准的12篇文献,共纳入5 242个病灶,其中2 692个病灶行ESD治疗,2 550个病灶行EMR治疗。进行Meta分析显示病灶大块切除率(93.11%vs56.71%)、完全切出率(89.05%vs53.21%)及组织治愈性切除率(81.50%vs60.89%)ESD组均高于EMR组;术后复发率ESD组(13/1 737)显著低于EMR组(100/1 888)(OR=0.12,95%CI 0.07~0.22),以上差异均有显著性;但出血发生率ESD组(6.39%)与EMR组(6.32%)基本一致(OR=1.45,95%CI 0.83~2.53);穿孔发生率ESD组(89/2 503)高于EMR组(24/2 500)(OR=3.54,95%CI 2.28~5.50),手术时间ESD组明显长于EMR组(WMD=55.41,95%CI 23.84~86.98),差异均有显著性。结论 ESD治疗EGC的病灶大块切除率、完全切除率、治愈性切除率、复发率等疗效性指标均显著优于EMR组,但安全性指标中ESD组手术时间较长,出血未见改善,且穿孔发生率高,这些均有待技术、设备及操作熟练度的提高和改进。对于老年患者及小病灶,EMR技术仍可酌情选用。     

内镜黏膜下剥离术治疗早期胃癌40例临床分析

目的比较内镜黏膜下剥离术与外科手术治疗早期胃癌的临床疗效。方法回顾性分析2010年4月到2015年3月,在我院接受治疗的80例早期胃癌患者的临床资料,根据治疗方式的不同分为ESD组和外科手术组。对两组患者的病灶切除率、手术时间、住院时间、医疗费用、以及术后并发症等进行比较。结果ESD组和外科手术组,病灶治愈性切除率均为100%,两组比较无统计学差异(P＞0.05)。ESD组与外科手术组比较,平均手术时间缩短(89.3vs 215.4 min,P＜0.05),平均住院时间缩短(10.5 vs 22.5 d,P＜0.05),平均医疗费用减少(1.79 vs 5.93万元,P＜0.05)。ESD组术后并发胃食管反流1例,感染1例(肺部感染),狭窄1例,出血1例,总发生率10.0%(4/40)；外科手术组术后并发胃食管反流7例,感染5例(肺部感染1例,创口感染4例),狭窄2例,出血6例,总发生率50.0%(20/40),术后并发症发生率明显高于ESD组。结论内镜黏膜下剥离术治疗早期胃癌疗效确切,而且具有手术和住院时间短,医疗费用少,术后并发症发生率低等特点。     

内镜黏膜剥离术在早期食管癌及癌前病变中的疗效观察

[目的]观察内镜黏膜下剥离术(ESD)在早期食管癌及癌前病变中疗效。[方法]对152例共165处早期食管癌及癌前病变病灶行ESD治疗的临床资料进行回顾性分析。[结果]152例患者共165处病灶,病灶长度1.5~9.0cm,平均4.2cm,ESD平均手术时间75 min。术后穿孔2例(1.3%),出血1例(0.6%),食管狭窄9例(5.9%)。病理结果示低级别上皮内瘤变35例,水平切缘阳性1例,完全切除率97.1%(34/35);高级别上皮内瘤变63例,水平切缘阳性3例,完全切除率95.2%(60/63);食管早癌54例,水平切缘阳性3例,完全切除率94.4%(51/54);食管浅表癌13例,其中垂直切缘阳性3例,水平切缘阳性3例,完全切除率53.8%(7/13)。112例完成了术后1个月的胃镜复查,创面愈合率为100%;89例完成了术后6个月的胃镜复查,创面愈合率为100%,发现2例局部复发(2例均为高级别上皮内瘤变);68例完成了术后12个月的胃镜复查,创面愈合率为100%,发现3例复发(2例早癌,1例食管浅表癌)。[结论]ESD是治疗早期食管癌及癌前病变的有效安全的方法。     

Advantage of endoscopic submucosal dissection compared with EMR for early gastric cancer

BACKGROUND: In EMR of early gastric cancer (EGC), en bloc resection reduces the risk of residual cancer. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) now allows en bloc resection of large EGCs. OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively determine whether ESD is more advantageous than EMR for EGCs. DESIGN: EMR (825 lesions, 711 patients) or ESD (195 lesions, 185 patients) was performed. The en bloc resection rate, histologically complete resection rate, operation time, complications, and local recurrence rate were studied in relation to ulceration. SETTING: Hiroshima University Hospital. PATIENTS: Subjects comprised 896 patients in whom 1020 EGCs were resected endoscopically from 1990 to 2004. RESULTS: In cases without ulceration, en bloc and histologically complete resection rates were significantly higher with ESD than with EMR, regardless of tumor size. The frequency of ulceration did not differ significantly between groups. Average operation time was significantly longer for ESD than for EMR, regardless of tumor size. Also, regardless of ulceration, the incidence of intraoperative bleeding was significantly higher with ESD (22.6%) than with EMR (7.6%). Delayed bleeding did not differ. In cases with ulceration, the incidence of perforation was significantly higher with ESD (53.8%) than with EMR (2.9%). Local recurrences were treated by incomplete EMR (en bloc, 2.9%; piecemeal, 4.4%). No patient experienced recurrence after ESD. CONCLUSIONS: ESD increased en bloc and histologically complete resection rates and may reduce the local recurrence rate. Increased operation time and complication risks with ESD in comparison with EMR remain problematic. Special measures are necessary for ESD of ulcerated lesions to reduce the rates of perforation and incomplete resection.     

ENDOSCOPIC SUBMUCOSAL DISSECTION FOR EARLY GASTRIC CANCER: TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY,OPERATION TIME AND COMPLICATIONS FROM A LARGE CONSECUTIVE SERIES

Background: Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is a recognized treatment for early gastric cancer (EGC). One‐piece resection is considered to be a gold standard of EMR, as it provides accurate histological assessment and reduces the risk of local recurrence. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a new technique developed to obtain one‐piece resection even for large and ulcerative lesions. The present study aims to identify the technical feasibility, operation time and complications from a large consecutive series. Methods: We reviewed all patients with EGC who underwent ESD using the IT knife at National Cancer Center Hospital in the period between January 2000 and December 2003. Results: During the study period of 4 years we identified a total of 1033 EGC lesions in 945 consecutive patients who underwent ESD using the IT knife. We found a one‐piece resection rate (OPRR) of 98% (1008/1033). Our OPRR with tumor‐free margins was 93% (957/1033). On subgroup analysis it was found to be 86% (271/314) among large lesions (≥ 21 mm) and 89% (216/243) among ulcerative lesions. The overall non‐evaluable resection rate was 1.8% (19/1033). The median operation time was 60 min (range; 10–540 min). Evidence of immediate bleeding was found in 7%. Delayed bleeding after ESD was seen in 6% and perforation in 4% of the cases. All cases with complications except one were successfully treated by endoscopic treatment. Conclusion: The present study shows the technical feasibility of ESD, which provides one‐piece resections even in large and ulcerative EGC.     

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer and gastric adenoma]

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) is a new endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) technique which enables en bloc resection even in large and depressed lesions. The aims of this study were to assess the therapeutic efficacy and the safety of ESD in gastric adenoma and in early gastric cancer (EGC). METHODS: We analyzed 101 lesions in 101 patients. ESD with insulated-tipped (IT) knife were performed in 52 adenomas and 49 EGCs from January 2003 to December 2005 in Dong-A University Hospital. RESULTS: The mean size of the lesion was 2.58 cm (0.7-4.5 cm). En bloc resection rate was 90.1% which was influenced by size (p0.05). Complete resection rate was 83.2% even in large or in malignant tumors (p0.05). Bleeding after ESD occurred in 41.6%. Tumor recurrence rate was 2.0%. CONCLUSIONS: ESD with IT knife is effective for the treatment of EGC and gastric adenoma even in large or in malignant lesions without definite increased risk of complications.     

Treatment of elderly patients with early gastric cancer by endoscopic submucosal dissection using an insulated-tip diathermic knife

OBJECTIVE: In recent years, the number of elderly patients with early gastric cancer (EGC) has steadily been increasing. In our institute, endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) involving the use of an insulated-tip diathermic knife (IT-ESD) was introduced for the treatment of mucosal gastric carcinoma in 1996. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of IT-ESD for the treatment of elderly patients with EGC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 144 patients with EGC were treated at Shikoku Cancer Center in the 5-year period from January 2000 to December 2004, including 53 patients over 75 years old. The performance status (PS) for all patients was less than 2. We compared patient's backgrounds, the one-piece resection rate, complete resection (CR) rate, operation time, bleeding rate, perforation rate, blood pressure, and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO(2)) between patients over 75 years of age (elderly group) and the remaining 91 younger patients (non-elderly group). RESULTS: The rate of having underlying disease was significantly higher for the elderly group (p<0.05) and we found no significant difference for the one-piece resection rate, CR rate, operation time, bleeding rate, and perforation rate between the 2 groups. There were also no significant differences for the frequency of the use of oxygen, pressor and depressor between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in the outcome resulting from ESD between the 2 groups. Our study proves that ESD is a feasible treatment for elderly patients with EGC PS of less than 2.     

Is Endoscopic Resection an Acceptable Treatment for Undifferentiated EGC?

Background/Aims: Endoscopic resection (ER) is an effective treatment in selected patients with early gastric cancer (EGC). We have evaluated the clinical outcomes of ER in patients with undifferentiated EGCs, including poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma or signet ring cell carcinoma. Methodology: We retrospectively examined the medical records of 77 patients diagnosed with undifferentiated EGC after ER (EMR for 22 patients and ESD for 56 patients) at a single center. Results: The mean±SD lesion size was 23.2±14.1mm. The 77 lesions included 65 (84.4%) intramucosal cancers and 12 (15.6%) involving the submucosal layer. Of these 77 patients, 35 underwent curative resection and 42 did not. After a mean follow-up period of 41 months (range, 9-152), local recurrences were observed in four patients (5.2%), all of whom had not undergone curative resection. No patient died of EGC. Univariate analysis showed that tumor involvement of the resection margins (p<0.001) and lymphatic invasion (p=0.003) were significant risk factors for recurrence after ER in undifferentiated EGCs. However, multivariate analysis did not show any significant risk factors. Conclusions: ER may be an alternative treatment modality for selected patients with undifferentiated EGCs.     

Histomorphologic features of early gastric carcinoma treated by endoscopic submucosal dissection: relation to efficiency of endoscopic resection

Objective: Early gastric cancer (EGC) is defined as cancer invasion confined to the mucosa or submucosa, irrespective of lymph node metastasis. Recently endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been widely accepted for the treatment for dysplasia and EGC without lymph node metastases. While the method has been advanced in Far East countries, ESD is still being developed in Europe and has not gained enough popularity although it has been recommended as the treatment of choice for superficial gastric neoplastic lesions by European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) in 2015.

Methods: The aim of the study was to perform a retrospective analysis of clinical and histomorphologic features of 58 cases of EGCs removed by ESD in a university hospital in Western Pomerania in Poland and to evaluate factors related to the efficiency of ESD resection.

Results: With univariate analysis, indications for ESD with the highest R0 rate were found in EGCs limited to mucosa (T1a, small mucosal, M), without muscularis mucosa invasion, localised in the middle/lower part of stomach and intestinal type in histological examination. The R0 complete resection rate was significantly (p?Conclusions: Our data showed that in EGCs with favourable histomorphologic characteristics, ESD seemed to be a totally efficient and safe method of treatment in a European small-volume centre. R0 resection rate reached 81.1% of cases and median time of the ESD procedure was 61.5?min.     

Is Endoscopic Mucosal Resection a Sufficient Treatment for Low-Grade Gastric Epithelial Dysplasia?

Background/Aims

The rate of diagnosis of gastric adenoma has increased because esophagogastroduodenoscopy is being performed at an increasingly greater frequency. However, there are no treatment guidelines for low-grade dysplasia (LGD). To determine the appropriate treatment for LGD, we evaluated the risk factors associated with the categorical upgrade from LGD to high grade dysplasia (HGD)/early gastric cancer (EGC) and the risk factors for recurrence after endoscopic treatment.

Methods

We compared the complication rates, recurrence rates, and remnant lesions in 196 and 56 patients treated with endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), respectively, by histologically confi rming low-grade gastric epithelial dysplasia.

Results

The en bloc resection rate was significantly lower in the EMR group (31.1%) compared with the ESD group (75.0%) (p<0.001). However, no significant difference was observed in the prevalence of remnant lesions or recurrence rate (p=0.911) of gastric adenoma. The progression of LGD to HGD or EGC caused an increase in the incidence of tumor lesions >1 cm with surface redness and depressions.

Conclusions

For the treatment of LGD, EMR resulted in a higher incidence of uncertain resection margins and a lower en bloc resection rate than ESD. However, there was no signifi cant difference in recurrence rate.     

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer with undifferentiated-type histology:A meta-analysis

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopicsubmucosal dissection(ESD) for early gastric cancer(EGC) with undifferentiated-type histology.METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted using the core databases. Complete resection,curative resection, en bloc resection, recurrence and adverse event rate were extracted and analyzed. A random effect model was applied. The methodological quality of the enrolled studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Publication bias was evaluated using a funnel plot, the trim and fill method, Egger's test,and a rank correlation test.RESULTS: Fourteen retrospective studies between2009 and 2014 were identified(972 EGC lesions with undifferentiated-type histology). The total en bloc and complete resection rates were estimated as92.1%(95%CI: 87.4%-95.2%) and 77.5%(95%CI:69.3%-84%), respectively. The total curative resection rate was 61.4%(95%CI: 44.5%-75.9%). The overall recurrence rate was 7.6%(95%CI: 3.4%-16%).Limited to histologically diagnosed expanded-criteria lesions, the en bloc and complete resection rates were91.2% and 85.6%, respectively. The curative resection rate was 79.8%.CONCLUSION: In this analysis, ESD is a technically feasible treatment modality for EGC with undifferentiatedtype histology. Long-term studies are needed to confirm these therapeutic outcomes.     

Early gastric cancer: diagnosis, pathology, treatment techniques and treatment outcomes

Recent improvements in endoscopic techniques and technologies and an increased understanding and recognition of the importance of early gastric cancer (EGC) will result in increases in the detection and diagnosis of precancerous or early cancerous lesions. The incidences of nodal metastasis of intramucosal and submucosal EGC are 3 and 20%, respectively. Therefore, major surgery may be inappropriate in many of these patients, and many cases of EGC may be treated by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). EMR was first introduced in Japan 20 years ago. Most EMR have been performed by the so-called 'strip biopsy' or EMR-C methods. However, we have sometimes experienced local recurrence in cases that had been resected in multiple fragments by these methods. To obtain 'complete resection', we developed the endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) technique using a special endoscopic knife, the insulation-tipped diathermic knife (IT knife). The rate of complete resection, i.e. cut margin free from cancer and one-piece resection, was remarkably higher for the IT knife technique than conventional EMR. ESD cases are increasing rapidly in Japan. EMR including ESD is a good method for patients with gastric cancer to preserve the stomach. For EMR, it is necessary to find EGC. Both diagnosis and treatment are important, and scientific data regarding lymph node metastasis and clinicopathological features are required.