Repeat endoscopic submucosal dissection for recurrent gastric cancers after endoscopic submucosal dissection

AIM: To clarify the safety and efficacy of repeat endoscopic submucosal dissection (re-ESD) for locally recurrent gastric cancers after ESD.METHODS: A retrospective evaluation was performed of the therapeutic efficacy, complications and follow-up results from ESD treatment for early gastric cancers in 521 consecutive patients with 616 lesions at St. Luke`s International Hospital between April 2004 and November 2012. In addition, tumor size, the size of resected specimens and the operation time were compared between re-ESD and initial ESD procedures. A flex knife was used as the primary surgical device and a hook knife was used in cases with severe fibrosis in the submucosal layer. Continuous variables were analyzed using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test and are expressed as medians (range). Categorical variables were analyzed using a Fisher’s exact test and are reported as proportions. Statistical significance was defined as a P-value less than 0.05.RESULTS: The number of cases in the re-ESD group and the initial ESD group were 5 and 611, respectively. The median time interval from the initial ESD to re-ESD was 14 (range, 4-44 mo). En bloc resection with free lateral and vertical margins was successfully performed in all re-ESD cases without any complications. No local or distant recurrence was observed during the median follow-up period of 48 (range, 11-56 mo). Tumor size was not significantly different between the re-ESD group and the initial ESD group (median 22 mm vs 11 mm, P = 0.09), although the size of resected specimens was significantly larger in the re-ESD group (median 47 mm vs 34 mm, P < 0.05). There was a non-significant increase observed in re-ESD operation time compared to initial ESD (median 202 min vs 67 min, respectively, P = 0.06).CONCLUSION: Despite the low patient number and short follow-up, the results suggest that re-ESD is a safe and effective endoscopic treatment for recurrent gastric cancer after ESD.     

Endoscopic mucosal resection and endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer: Current and original devices

Compared with endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is easier to perform and requires less time for treatment. However, EMR has been replaced by ESD, because achieving en bloc resection of specimens > 20 mm in diameter is difficult with EMR. The technique of ESD was introduced to resect large specimens of early gastric cancer in a single piece. ESD can provide precise histological diagnosis and can also reduce the rate of recurrence, but has a high level of technical difficulty, and is consequently associated with a high rate of complications, a need for advanced endoscopic techniques, and a lengthy procedure time. To overcome disadvantages in both EMR and ESD, various advances have been made in submucosal injections, knives, other accessories, and in electrocoagulation systems.     

Recent advances in endoscopic management of gastric neoplasms

The development and clinical application of new diagnostic endoscopic technologies such as endoscopic ultrasonography with biopsy, magnification endoscopy, and narrow-band imaging, more recently supplemented by artificial intelligence, have enabled wider recognition and detection of various gastric neoplasms including early gastric cancer (EGC) and subepithelial tumors, such as gastrointestinal stromal tumors and neuroendocrine tumors. Over the last decade, the evolution of novel advanced therapeutic endoscopic techniques, such as endoscopic mucosal resection, endoscopic submucosal dissection, endoscopic full-thickness resection, and submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection, along with the advent of a broad array of endoscopic accessories, has provided a promising and yet less invasive strategy for treating gastric neoplasms with the advantage of a reduced need for gastric surgery. Thus, the management algorithms of various gastric tumors in a defined subset of the patient population at low risk of lymph node metastasis and amenable to endoscopic resection, may require revision considering upcoming data given the high success rate of en bloc resection by experienced endoscopists. Moreover, endoscopic surveillance protocols for precancerous gastric lesions will continue to be refined by systematic reviews and meta-analyses of further research. However, the lack of familiarity with subtle endoscopic changes associated with EGC, as well as longer procedural time, evolving resection techniques and tools, a steep learning curve of such high-risk procedures, and lack of coding are issues that do not appeal to many gastroenterologists in the field. This review summarizes recent advances in the endoscopic management of gastric neoplasms, with special emphasis on diagnostic and therapeutic methods and their future prospects.     

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for colorectal neoplasms

Although endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) gains acceptance as one of the standard treatments for esophageal and stomach neoplasms in Japan, it is still in the developing stage for colorectal neoplasms. In terms of indications, little likelihood of nodal metastasis and technical resectability are principally considered. Some of intramucosal neoplasms, carcinomas with minute submucosal invasion, and carcinoid tumors, which are technically unresectable by conventional endoscopic treatments, may become good candidates for ESD, considering substantial risks and obtained benefits. ESD as a staging measure to obtain histological information of the invasion depth and lymphovascular infiltration is acceptable because preoperative prediction is difficult in some cases. In terms of techniques, advantages of ESD in comparison with other endoscopic treatments are to be controllable in size and shape, and to be resectable even in large and fibrotic neoplasms. The disadvantages may be longer procedure time, heavier bleeding, and higher possibility of perforation. However, owing to refinement of the techniques, invention of devices, and the learning curve, acceptable technical safety has been achieved. Colorectal ESD is very promising and become one of the standard treatments for colorectal neoplasms in the near future.     

Perspective on the practical indications of endoscopic submucosal dissection of gastrointestinal neoplasms

Endoscopic submucosal dissection （ESD） is a new endoluminal therapeutic technique involving the use of cutting devices to permit a larger resection of the tissue over the muscularis propria. The major advantages of the technique in comparison with polypectomy and endoscopic mucosal resection are controllable resection size and shape and en bloc resection of a large lesion or a lesion with ulcerative findings. This technique is applied for the endoscopic treatment of epithelial neoplasms in the gastrointestinal tract from the pharynx to the rectum. Furthermore, some carcinoids and submucosal tumors in the gastrointestinal tract are treated by ESD. To determine the indication, two aspects should be considered. The first is a little likelihood of lymph node metastasis and the second is the technical resectability. In this review, practical guidelines of ESD for the gastrointestinal neoplasms are discussed based on the evidence found in the literature.     

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for gastrointestinal neoplasms

Endoscopic submucosal dissection （ESD） is an advanced technique of therapeutic endoscopy for superficial gastrointestinal neoplasms. Three steps characterize it：injecting fluid into the submucosa to elevate the lesion, cutting the surrounding mucosa of the lesion, and dissecting the submucosa beneath the lesion. The ESD technique has rapidly permeated in Japan for treatment of early gastric cancer, due to its excellent results of en- bloc resection compared to endoscopic mucosal resection （EMR）. Although there is still room for improvement to lessen its technical difficulty, ESD has recently been applied to esophageal and colorectal neoplasms. Favorable short-term results have been reported, but the application of ESD should be well considered by three aspects：（1） the possibility of nodal metastases of the lesion, （2） technical difficulty such as location, ulceration and operator＇s skill, and （3） organ characteristics.     

Secondary endoscopic submucosal dissection for locally recurrent or incompletely resected gastric neoplasms

AIM To investigate the feasibility and safety of secondary endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD) for residual or locally recurrent gastric tumors. METHODS Between 2010 and 2017, 1623 consecutive patients underwent ESD for gastric neoplasms at a single tertiary referral center. Among these, 28 patients underwent secondary ESD for a residual or locally recurrent tumor. Our analysis compared clinicopathologic factors between primary ESD and secondary ESD groups. RESULTS The en bloc resection and curative rate of resection of secondary ESD were 92.9% and 89.3%, respectively. The average procedure time of secondary ESD was significantly longer than primary ESD(78.2 min vs 55.1 min, P = 0.004), and the adverse events rate was not significantly different but trended slightly higher in the secondary ESD group compared to the primary ESD group(10.7% vs 3.8%, P = 0.095). Patients who received secondary ESD had favorable outcomes without severe adverse events. During a mean follow-up period, no local recurrence occurred in patients who received secondary ESD. CONCLUSION Secondary ESD of residual or locally recurrent gastric tumors appears to be a feasible and curative treatment though it requires greater technical efficiency and longer procedure time.     

Outcome after endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer in Korea

Endoscopic treatment,such as endoscopic mucosal resection(EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD),has been established as one of the treatment options for selected cases with early gastric cancer(EGC).Most studies on this topic have been carried out by researchers in Japan.Recently,the experience in EMR/ESD for EGC outside Japan is increasingly reported.In Korea,gastric cancer is the most common malignant disease,and the second leading cause of cancer death.Currently,EMR for EGC is widely performed i...     

Supportive techniques and devices for endoscopic submucosal dissection of gastric cancer

The indications for endoscopic treatment have expanded in recent years,and relatively intestinal-type mucosal stomach carcinomas with a low potential for metastasis are now often resected en bloc by endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD),even if they measure over 20 mm in size.However,ESD requires complex maneuvers,which entails a long operation time,and is often accompanied by complications such as bleeding and perforation.Many technical developments have been implemented to overcome these complications.The scope,cutting device,hemostasis device,and other supportive devices have been improved.However,even with these innovations,ESD remains a potentially complex procedure.One of the major difficulties is poor visualization of the submucosal layer resulting from the poor countertraction afforded during submucosal dissection.Recently,countertraction devices have been developed.In this paper,we introduce countertraction techniques and devices mainly for gastric cancer.     

Current status of endoscopic submucosal dissection for the management of early gastric cancer: a Korean perspective

The early diagnosis of gastric cancer allows patients and physicians to pursue the option of endoscopic resection,which is significantly less invasive than conventional surgical resection.In Korea,the use of endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD) has been increasing,and many reports on ESD have been published.In addition,Korean gastroenterologists from several hospitals performing ESD have conducted formal meetings to discuss useful information regarding ESD.Here,we discuss the Korean experience with ESD,inc...     

Efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection for gastric tube cancer: A multicenter retrospective study

BACKGROUNDRecent improvements in the prognosis of patients with esophageal cancer have led to the increased occurrence of gastric tube cancer (GTC) in the reconstructed gastric tube. However, there are few reports on the treatment results of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for GTC.AIMTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of ESD for GTC after esophagectomy in a multicenter trial.METHODSWe retrospectively investigated 48 GTC lesions in 38 consecutive patients with GTC in the reconstructed gastric tube after esophagectomy who had undergone ESD between January 2005 and December 2019 at 8 institutions participating in the Okayama Gut Study group. The clinical indications of ESD for early gastric cancer were similarly applied for GTC after esophagectomy. ESD specimens were evaluated in 2-mm slices according to the Japanese Classification of Gastric Carcinoma with curability assessments divided into curative and non-curative resection based on the Gastric Cancer Treatment Guidelines. Patient characteristics, treatment results, clinical course, and treatment outcomes were analyzed.RESULTSThe median age of patients was 71.5 years (range, 57-84years), and there were 34 men and 4 women. The median observation period after ESD was 884 d (range, 8-4040 d). The median procedure time was 81 min (range, 29-334 min), the en bloc resection rate was 91.7% (44/48), and the curative resection rate was 79% (38/48). Complications during ESD were seen in 4% (2/48) of case, and those after ESD were seen in 10% (5/48) of case. The survival rate at 5 years was 59.5%. During the observation period after ESD, 10 patients died of other diseases. Although there were differences in the procedure time between institutions, a multivariate analysis showed that tumor size was the only factor associated with prolonged procedure time.CONCLUSIONESD for GTC after esophagectomy was shown to be safe and effective.     

Training in endoscopic submucosal dissection

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) represents an important advancement in the therapy of early neoplastic gastrointestinal lesions by providing higher en-bloc curative resection rate with lower recurrence compared to endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and by sparing the involved organ and protecting patient’ s quality of life. Despite these advantages ESD is associated with long procedure times and a higher rate of complications, making ESD a challenging procedure which requires advanced endoscopic skills. Thus, there has been a recognized need for structured training system for ESD to enhance trainee experience and, to reduce the risks of complications and inadequate treatment. ESD has a very flat learning curve. However, we do not have uniformly accepted benchmarks for competency. Nevertheless, it appears that, in Japan, more than 30 supervised gastric ESD procedures are required to achieve technical proficiency and minimize complications. A number of training algorithms have been pro-posed in Japan with the aim to standardize ESD training. These algorithms cannot be directly applied in the West due to substantial differences including the availability of highly qualified mentors, the type of pathology seen, choice of devices, and trainee’s background. We propose a training algorithm for Western physicians which integrates both hands-on training courses, animal model work as well as visits to expert centers. No specific preceptor training programs have been yet developed but there is a consensus that these programs are important for permeation of ESD worldwide.     

Endoscopic submucosal dissection vs endoscopic mucosal resection for early gastric cancer: A meta-analysis

AIM: To compare endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD) and endoscopic mucosal resection(EMR) for early gastric cancer(EGC).METHODS: Computerized bibliographic search was performed on PubMed/Medline, Embase, Google Schol-ar and Cochrane library databases. Quality of each included study was assessed according to current Co-chrane guidelines. Primary endpoints were en bloc re-section rate and histologically complete resection rate. Secondary endpoints were length of procedure, post-treatment bleeding, post-procedural perforation and re-currence rate. Comparisons between the two treatment groups across all the included studies were performed by using Mantel-Haenszel test for fixed-effects mod-els(in case of low heterogeneity) or DerSimonian and Laird test for random-effects models(in case of high heterogeneity).RESULTS: Ten retrospective studies(8 full text and 2 abstracts) were included in the meta-analysis. Overall data on 4328 lesions, 1916 in the ESD and 2412 in the EMR group were pooled and analyzed. The mean operation time was longer for ESD than for EMR(stan-dardized mean difference 1.73, 95%CI: 0.52-2.95, P =0.005) and the "en bloc " and histological complete re-section rates were significantly higher in the ESD group [OR = 9.69(95%CI: 7.74-12.13), P 0.001 and OR = 5.66,(95%CI: 2.92-10.96), P 0.001, respectively]. As a consequence of its greater radicality, ESD provided lower recurrence rate [OR = 0.09,(95%CI: 0.05-0.17), P 0.001]. Among complications, perforation rate was significantly higher after ESD [OR = 4.67,(95%CI, 2.77-7.87), P 0.001] whereas the bleeding incidences did not differ between the two techniques [OR = 1.49(0.6-3.71), P = 0.39].CONCLUSION: In the endoscopic therapy of EGC, ESD showed a superior efficacy but higher complication rate with respect to EMR.     

Impact of tumor location on clinical outcomes of gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection

AIM: To determine whether there is a correlation between the location of the lesion and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) outcome.METHODS: From January 2008 to December 2010, ESD of 1443 gastric tumors was performed. En bloc resection rate, complete resection rate, procedure time and complication rate were analyzed according to the tumor location.RESULTS: The rates of en bloc resection and complete resection were 91% (1318/1443) and 89% (1287/1443), respectively. The post-ESD bleeding rate was 4.3%, and perforation rate was 2.7%. Tumors located in the upper third of the stomach were associated with a longer procedure time and significantly higher rates of incomplete resection, piecemeal resection, and perforation than tumors below the upper third of the stomach. Posterior wall lesions had significantly longer procedure times and higher rates of incomplete resection and piecemeal resection than lesions in other locations. In multivariate analysis, posterior wall lesions and upper third lesions were significantly associated with incomplete resection and perforation, respectively. In post-ESD bleeding analysis, location was not a significant related factor.CONCLUSION: More advanced endoscopic techniques are required during ESD for lesions located in the upper third or posterior wall of the stomach to decrease complications and improve therapeutic outcomes.     

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.     

Management of complications following endoscopic submucosal dissection for gastric cancer

Endoscopic treatment should be considered for early gastric cancer(EGC)and gastric precancerous lesions.Endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)was developed for en bloc removal of a large gastric neoplasm and has been developed following improvements in electrical equipment for hemostasis and dissection and with advances in various knives,hemostatic forceps and endoscopic equipment.ESD is currently the treatment of choice for precancerous lesions or EGC showing mucosal invasion.Hemorrhage and perforation are major complications of ESD for EGC.We describe the complication of ESD procedures in gastric lesions for endoscopists who are relatively inexperienced in ESD and who may lack optimal access to ESD education and facilities.     

Endoscopic submucosal dissection vs endoscopic mucosal resection for superficial esophageal cancer

AIM:To investigate the effectiveness of endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)and endoscopic mucosal resection(EMR)in treating superficial esophageal cancer(SEC).METHODS:Studies investigating the safety and efficacy of ESD and EMR for SEC were searched from the databases of Pubmed,Web of Science,EMBASE and the Cochrane Library.Primary end points included the en bloc resection rate and the curative resection rate.Secondary end points included operative time,rates of perforation,postoperative esophageal stricture,bleeding and local recurrence.The random-effect model and the fixed-effect model were used for statistical analysis.RESULTS:Eight studies were identified and included in the meta-analysis.As shown by the pooled analysis,ESD had significantly higher en bloc and curative resection rates than EMR.Local recurrence rate in the ESD group was remarkably lower than that in the EMR group.However,operative time and perforation rate for ESD were significantly higher than those for EMR.As for the rate of postoperative esophageal stricture and procedure-related bleeding,no significant difference was found between the two techniques.CONCLUSION:ESD seems superior to EMR in the treatment of SEC as evidenced by significantly higher en bloc and curative resection rates and by obviously lower local recurrence rate.     

Efficacy of preemptive endoscopic submucosal dissection and surgery for synchronous colorectal neoplasms

Abstract

Background and aim

If patients with surgically resectable colorectal cancershave synchronous colorectal neoplasms that are difficult to remove by endoscopic mucosal resection, preemptive endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) can avoid excessive colorectal resection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the strategy of preemptive ESD and surgery for synchronous colorectal neoplasms.     

内镜黏膜下剥离术治疗十二指肠病变的临床疗效分析

目的评价内镜黏膜下剥离术(ESD)治疗十二指肠病变的临床疗效及安全性。方法回顾性分析2011年1月至2019年5月在中南大学湘雅二医院消化内科行ESD治疗的45例十二指肠病变患者(共46个病变)的临床资料,对病变特点、整块切除率、完整切除率、手术并发症、术后病理和复发情况进行统计分析。结果45例患者中男20例、女25例,年龄(52.0±11.8)岁。46个病变中位于十二指肠球部31个(67.4%),降部12个(26.1%),球降交界部3个(6.5%)。病变直径(2.4±1.9)cm。病变起源于黏膜层14个(30.4%),黏膜下层29个(63.1%),固有肌层3个(6.5%)。术后病理:Brunner腺瘤11个(23.9%),神经内分泌肿瘤9个(19.6%),异位胰腺5个(10.9%),脂肪瘤5个(10.9%),其他16个(34.8%)。45例患者46个病变均顺利完成ESD,病变整块切除率100.0%(46/46),完整切除率为91.3%(42/46)。术中出血1例(2.2%),内镜下成功止血;迟发性穿孔1例(2.2%),行急诊外科手术治疗;电凝综合征1例(2.2%),内科保守治疗好转。术后2例患者追加外科手术治疗。患者平均住院时间6.2 d(2~21 d),无一例死亡。随访41例,平均随访时间30个月(1~78个月),随访期间1例(2.4%)复发。结论ESD治疗十二指肠病变安全、有效,具有较好的临床应用价值。