The Long-Term Outcomes of Endoscopic Papillectomy and Management of Cases of Incomplete Resection: A Single-Center Study

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic papillectomy is increasingly performed as an alternative to surgery for early ampullary tumors.

AIM

This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the long-term results of endoscopic papillectomy, the management of cases with incomplete endoscopic resection, and the long-term recurrence rates.

METHODS

All 46 patients who underwent endoscopic papillectomy for ampullary tumors between November 2003 and March 2018 were retrospectively evaluated.

RESULTS

The final pathological diagnoses were adenoma (n = 44) and adenocarcinoma (n = 2). Histopathological evaluations after endoscopic papillectomy revealed that complete resection was achieved in 19 patients (19/46, 41.3%). Among the 27 patients with incomplete resection, the margin was histopathologically positive in 14 patients and difficult to evaluate in 13. Additional surgery was performed for 2 of the 14 patients with positive margins. Excluding 2 patients who received additional surgery, 7 of the 25 patients with incomplete resection had recurrence, and 18 had no recurrence during the follow-up period. Ten (77%) of the 13 patients in whom the margin was difficult to evaluate had no recurrence.

CONCLUSION

Approximately 80% of the patients in whom the histopathological evaluation of the resected margin was difficult had no recurrence even after approximately 5 years of follow-up. Thus, careful observation may be considered for these patients.

Discrepancy between endoscopic and pathological ulcerative findings in clinical intramucosal early gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Ulcerative finding (UL) is one of the factors that define the indication and curability of endoscopic resection (ER) in early gastric cancer (EGC). Discrepancies between endoscopic UL (cUL) and pathological UL (pUL) sometimes occur in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to investigate the discrepancy rate in UL diagnosis and the risk factors associated with such discrepancies.

METHODS

Patients with clinical intramucosal (cT1a) EGC who underwent ER or surgery between September 2002 and December 2017 were analyzed. The proportion of cUL-negative (cUL0) lesions that were identified as pUL-positive (pUL1) and that of cUL-positive (cUL1) lesions that were identified as pUL-negative (pUL0) were calculated. Logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the associations between discrepancy in UL diagnosis and clinical variables of the lesion, such as the size, histology, location, and macroscopic type.

RESULTS

In total, 5382 lesions were evaluated; 5.5% of cUL0 lesions (256/4619) were identified as pUL1, while 38.7% of cUL1 lesions (295/763) were pUL0. Multivariate analysis indicated that in cUL1 lesions, tumor location in the lower third of the stomach (odds ratio 3.11, 95% confidence interval 1.90-5.08) was identified as an independent risk factor for overestimation.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic diagnosis of UL in cT1a EGC was overestimated in 38.7% of lesions, especially for lesions located in the lower third of the stomach. This discrepancy should be considered in the management of cT1a EGC with UL.

Endoscopic resection versus esophagectomy for patients with small-sized T1N0 esophageal cancer: A propensity-matched study

OBJECTIVES

Endoscopic resection (ER) has been rapidly adopted in the treatment of early-stage esophageal cancer. We aimed to compare the outcomes of ER with esophagectomy for patients with small-sized (≤2 cm) stage T1a and T1b esophageal cancer in a population-based cohort.

METHODS

We queried the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database for patients with T1N0M0 esophageal cancer who underwent ER or esophagectomy and generated a balanced cohort with 217 matched pairs using propensity score matching (PSM). Kaplan-Meier method and multivariable Cox regression analysis were employed to investigate the matched cohort. Subgroup analyses of T stage were also performed.

RESULTS

We identified 702 patients; 309 (44.0 %) underwent ER, and 393 (56.0 %) underwent esophagectomy. In the unmatched cohort, patients who underwent ER were older, more likely to have a T1a stage, and less likely to receive lymph node sampling. In the entire matched cohort, multivariate analysis found esophagectomy were associated with better overall survival (OS) (HR: 0.62, 95 % CI: 0.40-0.96, p = 0.032) than ER, but no significant difference in esophageal cancer-specific survival (ECSS) (HR: 1.37, 95 % CI: 0.64-2.96, p = 0.420) between the two procedures. The results were similar for subgroup analyses of stage T1b patients. However, ER and esophagectomy were associated with similar OS (HR: 0.74, 95 % CI: 0.41-1.36; p = 0.334) and ECSS (HR: 3.69, 95 % CI: 0.95-14.39; p = 0.060) in patients with stage T1a disease.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with stage T1 esophageal cancer, ER was similar to esophagectomy in terms of oncologic outcomes. More prospective studies should be implemented to determine the optimal treatment for T1b esophageal cancer patients with risk factors.

Endoscopic resection with adjuvant treatment versus esophagectomy for early-stage esophageal cancer

Objective

To evaluate the outcome following the strategy of endoscopic R0 resection (ER) plus adjuvant treatment (AT) versus esophagectomy for esophageal squamous cell cancer in T1a invading muscularis mucosa (M3)-T1b stage.

Methods

We evaluated the outcomes of 46 esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) patients with T1aM3-T1b stage who underwent ER + AT from the Esophageal Cancer Endoscopic Therapy Consortium (ECETC) and compared these outcomes to 92 patients who underwent esophagectomy. Propensity score matching (1:2) was used, with overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) being compared between the two groups.

Results

During a median follow-up of 32 months, there were no statistical differences (P = 0.226) in OS between the two groups. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival in the esophagectomy group was 95%, 91%, and 84%, respectively. There were no mortalities within three years in the ER + AT group. The RFS between the two groups was also not significantly different (P = 0.938). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year RFS of patients in the esophagectomy group was 90%, 90%, and 83%, respectively, while it was 97%, 94%, and 74% in the ER + AT group, respectively. The local recurrence rates between the two groups were not significantly different (P = 0.277).

Conclusions

This first multicenter analysis showed similar outcomes were found regarding OS and RFS between the two groups in T1aM3-T1b stage patients. ER + AT may be considered in high-risk patients or for those who refuse esophagectomy.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00464-021-08466-2.

Effect of endoscopic resection on short-term surgical outcomes of subsequent laparoscopic gastrectomy: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic resection (ER) might affect subsequent laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) because of the electrical coagulation, but the effect remains controversial. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to analyze the effect of ER on the short-term surgical outcomes of subsequent LG.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched to find eligible studies published from inception to March 21, 2021. Short-term surgical outcomes were compared between the ER-LG group and the LG-only group. The registration ID of this current meta-analysis on PROSPERO is CRD42021238031.

RESULTS

Nine studies involving 3611 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The LG-only group had a higher T stage (T1-T2: OR=2.42, 95% CI=1.09 to 5.34, P=0.03; T3-T4: OR=0.41, 95% CI=0.19 to 0.91, P=0.03) than the ER-LG group. The ER-LG group showed a shorter operation time than the LG-only group (MD=-5.98, 95% CI=-10.99 to -0.97, P=0.02). However, no difference was found in operation time after subgroup analysis of propensity score matching studies. No significant difference was found in intraoperative blood loss, time to first oral feeding, or postoperative hospital stay between the ER-LG group and the LG-only group. And no significance was found in overall complications (OR=1.16, 95% CI=0.89 to 1.50, P=0.27), complications of grade ≥ II (OR=1.11, 95% CI=0.71 to 1.73, P=0.64), complications of grade ≥ III b (OR=1.47, 95% CI=0.49 to 4.43, P=0.49) between the ER-LG group and the LG-only group.

CONCLUSIONS

ER did not affect subsequent LG in terms of short-term outcomes, and the ER-LG group might have a shorter operation time than the LG-only group.

Traction-assisted endoscopic submucosal dissection reduces procedure time and risk of serious adverse events: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Conventional endoscopic submucosal dissection (C-ESD) is a technically demanding procedure with prolonged procedure times and higher risk of adverse events. To overcome the procedural difficulty of ESD, several traction-assisted techniques (T-ESD) have been developed to improve visualization of the submucosa in hopes to facilitate safe and effective dissection. The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis that compares short-term outcomes (30-day) of T-ESD to C-ESD.

METHODS

Clinical studies published up to April 2020 comparing the efficacy and safety of T-ESD and C-ESD were identified using electronic bibliographic searches. Both randomized controlled trials and observational studies were included. Outcomes of interests were procedure time, rates of en bloc and R0 resection, and rates of adverse events. Fixed effect and random effect model were used to calculate pooled mean difference for continuous variables and risk differences (RDs) for categorical variables.

RESULTS

Twenty-three studies with 2574 patients were included in this meta-analysis, with a total of 2582 lesions (1292 T-ESD and 1290 C-ESD). Pooled estimates of T-ESD showed shorter procedure times (weighted mean difference = -20.35 min, 95% CI -27.51 to -13.19, p < 0.001), higher R0 resection rates (RD 0.04, 95% CI 0.01-0.06, p = 0.004) and lower perforation rates (RD -0.03, 95% CI -0.04 to -0.01, p =  < 0.0001). No significant differences were seen in en bloc rates and bleeding risk between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Traction-assisted ESD results in shorter procedure time, improved R0 resection rates and lower risk of perforation as compared to conventional ESD.

Safety and efficacy of endoscopic resection for the treatment of duodenal subepithelial lesions

Background

Endoscopic management of duodenal subepithelial lesions is challenging, and there are only a few studies on this topic. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic resection for the treatment of duodenal subepithelial lesions.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data, including epidemiologic characteristics, therapeutic outcomes, complications, and follow-up results, of 49 patients with duodenal subepithelial lesions who underwent endoscopic resection at our hospital between August 2010 and September 2019.

Results

We performed 35 endoscopic submucosal dissection, 9 endoscopic mucosal resection, 3 endoscopic submucosal excavation, and 2 endoscopic full-thickness resection. The en bloc resection rate and R0 resection rate were 95.9% and 89.8%, respectively. Delayed perforations developed in 2 (4.1%) patients; surgical intervention was required for both. Coagulation syndrome developed in 1 (2.0%) patient; however, it was treated conservatively. Delayed bleeding or other serious complications did not occur. One patient underwent complementary surgery after endoscopic resection. One (2.3%) recurrence occurred in patients who underwent endoscopic resection at a median follow-up duration of 24 months (range, 1-88 months).

Conclusions

Endoscopic resection is an effective, safe, and minimally invasive method for the histopathologic assessment and curative treatment of duodenal subepithelial lesions originating from the submucosal or muscularis propria.

Recurrence pattern and surveillance strategy for rectal neuroendocrine tumors after endoscopic resection

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Endoscopic resection is highly effective treatment option for rectal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) as they usually present as small localized tumors. However, there are no well-established surveillance strategies following endoscopic resection. We established our own protocol for the surveillance of rectal NETs after endoscopic resection since 2013. This study aimed to assess the outcome and to optimize the surveillance strategies after endoscopic resection.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with endoscopically treated rectal NETs between January 2013 and April 2018 at Samsung Medical Center. We analyzed 337 patients with a median follow-up duration of 35.0 months (min-max: 12.0-88.3).

RESULTS

A total of 329 (97.6%) patients had tumors ≤ 1 cm in size, and eight (2.4%) patients had tumors > 1 cm in diameter. Synchronous rectal NETs were diagnosed in nine (2.7%) patients. Thirteen (3.9%) patients were identified as having positive resection margins. Regardless of the salvage treatment, none of these patients developed recurrence. Metachronous rectal NETs were diagnosed in nine (2.7%) patients. Metachronous lesions were associated with the number of synchronous lesions at initial diagnosis (P < 0.001, hazard ratio = 1.75, 95% confidence interval = 1.38-2.23). Extracolonic metastasis was not detected in this study.

CONCLUSION

Although initial screening for detecting metastatic lesions using computed tomography is recommended, repeated imaging for detecting extracolonic recurrence was not necessary for small non-metastatic rectal NETs. However, regular endoscopic follow-up seems reasonable, especially in case of synchronous rectal NETs, for detecting metachronous rectal NETs.

Clinical outcomes of endoscopic resection for the treatment of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors originating from the muscularis propria: a 7-year experience from a large tertiary center in China

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Few studies have evaluated the value of endoscopic resection (ER) for the treatment of gastric gastrointestinal (GI) stromal tumors (GISTs) originating from the muscularis propria (MP) in a large population, and no studies have evaluated risk factors for piecemeal resection. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ER for gastric GISTs in a real-world setting and to explore factors associated with piecemeal resection.

METHODS

From January 2013 to December 2019, 185 patients with gastric GISTs originating from the MP were assessed. Clinicopathological and endoscopic data were collected and analyzed. Baseline characteristics of the en bloc resection and piecemeal resection groups were compared to evaluate predictive factors for piecemeal resection.

RESULTS

There were 71 males and 114 females with a mean age of 57.0 ± 9.7 years. The mean size of GISTs was 15 mm (range 4-65 mm). A total of 123 were very low risk, 52 were low risk, and ten were moderate risk. In this study, 103 GISTs were treated with endoscopic submucosal excavation (ESE), 68 GISTs were treated with endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFR), and 14 GISTs were treated with submucosal tunneling ER (STER). Either en bloc resection or complete resection was achieved in 160 (86.5%) patients. No recurrence was noted during follow-up. Only five patients experienced minor complications, with a complication rate of 2.7%. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that size (odds ratio [OR] 1.060, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.004-1.118; P = 0.035) and shape (OR 5.434, 95% CI 1.638-18.027; P = 0.006) were independent predictors of piecemeal resection.

CONCLUSION

ER was effective and safe for the treatment of gastric GISTs originating from the MP. Piecemeal resection did not seem to affect the efficacy of ER, and no recurrence was noted during follow-up. Large size and irregular shape are risk factors related to piecemeal resection of ER.

Efficacy and safety of grasping forceps-assisted endoscopic resection for gastric neoplasms: A multi-centre retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is widely accepted for early gastric cancer (EGC) without lymph node metastasis, although ESD is challenging, even for small lesions, in the greater curvature (GC) of the upper (U) and middle (M) thirds of the stomach. Grasping forceps-assisted endoscopic resection (GF-ER) is a type of endoscopic mucosal resection that is performed via a double-channel endoscope.

AIM

To investigate the safety and efficacy of GF-ER vs ESD in the GC of the stomach’s U and M regions.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 506 patients who underwent ER of 522 EGC lesions in the stomach’s U and M regions in three institutions between January 2016 and May 2020. Nine lesions from eight patients who underwent GF-ER for EGC (the GF-ER group) were compared to 63 lesions from 63 patients who underwent ESD (the ESD group). We also performed a subgroup analysis of small lesions (≤ 10 mm) in 6 patients (7 lesions) from the GF-ER group and 20 patients (20 lesions) from the ESD group.

RESULTS

There were no statistically significant differences between the GF-ER and ESD groups in the en bloc resection rates (100% vs 100%) and the R0 resection rates (100% vs 98.4%). The median procedure time in the GF-ER group was shorter than that in the ESD group (4.0 min vs 55.0 min, P < 0.01). There were no adverse events in the GF-ER group, although five perforations (8.0%) and 1 case of postoperative bleeding (1.6%) were observed in the ESD group. When we only considered lesions that were ≤ 10 mm, the median procedure time in the GF-ER group was still shorter than that in the ESD group (4.0 min vs 35.0 min, P < 0.01). There were no adverse events in the GF-ER group, although 1 case of perforation (1.6%) were observed in the ESD group.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that GF-ER may be an effective therapeutic option for small lesions in the GC of the stomach’s U and M regions.

Clinical Outcomes of Endoscopic Resection for Low-Grade Dysplasia and High-Grade Dysplasia on Gastric Pretreatment Biopsy: Korea ESD Study Group

Background/Aims

Some cases of gastric low-grade dysplasia (LGD) and high-grade dysplasia (HGD) on forceps biopsy (FB) are diagnosed as gastric cancer (GC) after endoscopic resection (ER). This study aims to evaluate the clinical outcomes of ER for gastric LGD and HGD on pretreatment FB and to identify the factors that predict pathologic upstaging to GC.

Methods

Patients who underwent ER for LGD and HGD on pretreatment FB from March 2005 to February 2018 in 14 hospitals in South Korea were enrolled, and the patients’ medical records were reviewed retrospectively.

Results

This study included 2,150 cases of LGD and 1,534 cases of HGD diagnosed by pretreatment FB. In total, 589 of 2,150 LGDs (27.4%) were diagnosed as GC after ER. Helicobacterpylori infection, smoking history, tumor location in the lower third of the stomach, tumor size >10 mm, depressed lesion, and ulceration significantly predicted GC. A total of 1,115 out of 1,534 HGDs (72.7%) were diagnosed with GC after ER. Previous history of GC, H. pylori infection, smoking history, tumor location in the lower third of the stomach, tumor size >10 mm, depressed lesion, and ulceration were significantly associated with GC. As the number of risk factors predicting GC increased in both LGD and HGD on pretreatment FB, the rate of upstaging to GC after ER increased.

Conclusions

A substantial proportion of LGDs and HGDs on pretreatment FB were diagnosed as GC after ER. Accurate ER procedures such as endoscopic submucosal dissection should be recommended in cases of LGD and HGD with factors predicting pathologic upstaging to GC.

Long-term outcomes and surveillance timing of patients with large non-pedunculated colorectal polyps with histologically incomplete resection in endoscopic resection

BACKGROUND

Histologically incomplete resection of large colorectal polyps is frequently encountered; however, the long-term outcomes or surveillance timing is not well known. We evaluated the incidence rate and time of recurrence of these cases during a long-term follow-up.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent endoscopic resection for large (≥10 mm in size) non-pedunculated colorectal polyps at a tertiary academic hospital. Patients who had positive or indeterminate lateral margin in the histology and underwent completed surveillance colonoscopy first at 3-12 months and finally at ≥2 years after initial resection were included.

RESULTS

Of 169 polyps (148 patients), 37 (21.9%) and 132 (78.1%) polyps had positive and indeterminate lateral margins, respectively. The median time intervals of the first and last surveillance from the initial resection were 6 (3-12) and 48 (24-114) months, respectively. The recurrence rate was 9.5% (16/169) during follow-up, and the mean time to recurrence was 31.9 months. Thirteen (81.3%) polyps recurred after ≥12 months. Most (14/16, 87.5%) recurrent polyps were benign, and 2 cases had advanced cancer. The only factor that was significantly associated with recurrence in the univariate and multivariate analyses was ≥3 piecemeal resections (odds ratio in the multivariate analysis, 16.92; 95% CI, 1.19-241.81; p = 0.037).

CONCLUSION

During the long-term follow-up, the only factor that was significantly associated with recurrence was ≥3 piecemeal resections, and most recurrences occurred after ≥12 months. Thus, a histologically incomplete resection with ≤2 piecemeal resections and no findings of suspected submucosal cancer may be considered as complete resection, and these patients may undergo first surveillance colonoscopy after 1-2 years.

Endoscopically removed rectal NETs: a nationwide cohort study

PURPOSE

Rectal neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) often present as an incidental finding during colonoscopy. Complete endoscopic resection of low-grade NETs up to 10 mm is considered safe. Whether this is also safe for NETs up to 20 mm is unclear. We performed a nationwide study to determine the risk of lymph node and distant metastases in endoscopically removed NETs.

METHODS

All endoscopically removed rectal NETs between 1990 and 2010 were identified using the national pathology database (PALGA). Each NET was stratified according to size, grade and resection margin. Follow-up was until February 2016.

RESULTS

Between 1990 and 2010, a total of 310 NETs smaller than 20 mm were endoscopically removed. Mean size of NETs was 7.4 mm (SD 3.5). In 49% of NETs (n = 153), no grade (G) could be assessed from the pathology report, 1% was G2 (n = 3), and the remaining NETs were G1. Median follow up was 11.6 years (range 4.9-26.0). During follow-up, 30 patients underwent surgical resection. Lymph node or distant metastasis was seen in 3 patients (1%) which all had a grade 2 NET. Mean time from endoscopic resection to diagnosis of metastases was 6.1 years (95% CI 2.9-9.2).

CONCLUSION

No lymph node or distant metastases were seen in endoscopically removed G1 NETs up to 20 mm during the long follow-up of this nationwide study. This adds evidence to the ENET guideline that endoscopic resection of G1 NETs up to 20 mm appears to be safe.

Surgical resection after endoscopic resection in patients with T1 colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Additional surgical resection (ASR) after endoscopic resection (ER) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) allows a complete staging and may decrease the recurrence rate, but no meta-analysis is available. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of ER vs. ER + ASR as a treatment for patients with T1 (stage 1) CRC.

METHODS

We performed a systematic search from databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library) for cohort studies published up to November 2019. The outcomes were overall survival (OS), local recurrence, recurrence, disease-specific survival, recurrence-free survival, and metastasis.

RESULTS

Seven studies were included. There were 1205 patients in the ASR group and 993 patients in the ER group. Compared with ER, ASR was associated with better OS (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.18-0.53, P < 0.001) and a borderline significant difference in lower local recurrence rates (OR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.08-1.01, P = 0.052), but no differences were observed in recurrences, disease-specific survival, recurrence-free survival, and distant metastasis. A sensitivity analysis was performed; excluding each study sequentially from the pooled analysis did not affect the overall conclusion of the study.

CONCLUSION

Compared with ER, ASR after ER could improve the overall survival for patients with T1 CRC.

Risk of lymph node metastasis after endoscopic treatment for rectal NETs 10 mm or less

PURPOSE

For rectal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) ≤ 10 mm, endoscopic resection is a standard treatment. However, there is no consensus whether additional surgery should be performed for patients at risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM) after endoscopic resection. The purpose of this study was to analyze the results of endoscopic resection and additional surgery of rectal NETs, thereby clarify the characteristics of cases with LNM.

METHODS

This study was a multicenter retrospective cohort study conducted at 12 Japanese institutions. A total of 132 NETs ≤ 10 mm were analyzed regarding various therapeutic results. A comparative analysis was performed by dividing the cases into two groups that underwent additional surgery or not. Furthermore, the relationship between tumor size and LNM was examined.

RESULTS

The endoscopic treatments were 12 endoscopic mucosal resections (EMR), 58 endoscopic submucosal resections with ligation (ESMR-L), 29 precutting EMRs, and 33 endoscopic submucosal dissections (ESD). The R0 resection rates of EMR were 41.7%, and compared to this rate, other three treatments were 86.2% (p < 0.001), 86.2% (p = 0.005), and 97.0% (p < 0.001), respectively. There were 41 non-curative cases (31.1%), and 13 had undergone additional surgery. Then, LNM was observed in 4 of the 13 patients, with an overall rate of LNM of 3.0% (4/132). The rate of positive lymphatic invasion and the rate of LNM by tumor size ≤ 6 mm and 7-10 mm were 9.7 vs. 15.4% (p = 0.375) and 0 vs. 10.3% (p = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

A multicenter study revealed the priority of each endoscopic resection and the low rate of LNM for rectal NETs ≤ 6 mm.

Updates on Surgical Management and Advances for Brain Tumors

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review summarizes the modern approach to surgical management of malignant brain tumors, highlighting new technology and multimodal treatment paradigms.

RECENT FINDINGS

Outcomes in patients with glioblastoma are strongly correlated with extent of initial surgical resection. Intraoperative MRI, 5-ALA, and neuronavigation are surgical tools that can help achieve a maximal safe resection. Stereotactic radiosurgery and brachytherapy can be used to enhance local control for brain metastases in conjunction with surgery, while combinatorial approaches are increasingly employed in patients with multiple metastases. Advances in surgical techniques allow for minimally invasive approaches, including the use of tubular retractors, endoscopes, and laser interstitial thermal therapy. Primary and metastatic brain tumors require a multimodal, multidisciplinary approach to treatment. Surgical resection can be paired with radiation for metastases to maximize tumor control, expanding systemic options. Technological innovations have improved the safety of surgical resection, while expanding the surgical options and indications for treatment.

Gastric cancer- endoscopic treatment of early lesions, the West learns from the East

Gastric cancer still has one of the highest incidence rates worldwide. Screening programs have been established in high incidence regions, especially in Asia, but in the West, screening for gastric cancer is not generally recommended. Gastroscopy is the gold standard for diagnosing gastric cancer. For the treatment of early gastric cancer, endoscopic resection is the method of choice. With the ESD technique, larger lesions can be resected en-bloc. Guideline and extended guideline criteria for the choice of lesions for ESD have been evaluated extensively, initially in Asia and later in the West as well. For lesions which are out of indication, a surgical approach must be recommended. To detect early recurrence or metachronous lesions, follow-up should be performed after ER.

Efficacy of Underwater Endoscopic Mucosal Resection for Superficial Non-Ampullary Duodenal Epithelial Tumor

Background/Aims

Endoscopic resection (ER) for superficial non-ampullary duodenal epithelial tumors (SNADETs) is challenging. Conventional endoscopic mucosal resection (CEMR) is also problematic due to the anatomical features of the duodenum. We compared the safety and efficacy of underwater endoscopic mucosal resection (UEMR) with those of CEMR through a retrospective analysis.

Methods

Altogether, 44 consecutive patients with 46 SNADETs underwent ER (18 CEMR cases and 28 UEMR cases) between January 2016 and October 2019. We investigated the proportions of en bloc resection, R0 resection, complications, resection time, and total procedure time and compared the outcomes of patients from the CEMR group with those of patients from the UEMR group.

Results

The median tumor size was 8.0 mm (range, 2.0–20.0 mm). The UEMR group showed a higher proportion of en bloc resection (96.4% vs. 72.2%, p<0.05) and significantly lower median resection time and total procedure time (4 min vs. 9.5 min, p<0.05 and 13 min vs. 19 min, p<0.05; respectively) than the CEMR group. No complications were observed. However, two patients treated with piecemeal resection in the CEMR group had residual tumors.

Conclusions

UEMR is a feasible therapeutic option for SNADETs. It can be recommended as a standard treatment.

The value of endoscopic resection for non-ampullary duodenal lesions: A single-center experience

BACKGROUND

To observe and preliminarily evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in the treatment of non-ampullary duodenal lesions (NADLs).

METHODS

This retrospective observational study included 84 patients who underwent endoscopic resection (ER) with non-ampullary duodenal lesions, between March 2010 and November 2020, at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (Beijing, China). Data on patient demographics, therapeutic outcomes, and follow-up results were analyzed.

RESULTS

There were 44 patients undergoing EMR, and 40 patients accepting ESD. The overall en bloc resection rate was 98.8% (83/84). For the neoplastic lesions, the overall en bloc resection rate and curative rate were 98.5% (67/68) and 89.7% (61/68), respectively. The procedure-related bleeding and perforation rates were 2.4% and 10.7%, respectively. Univariate analysis results indicated that the main correlation factor of non-curative pathologic resection was tumor size (p = 0.004) and resection size (P < 0.01). There showed a higher curative rate in patients with tumors less than 25 mm in diameter. Multivariate logistic regression analyses determined that the tumor size (OR 0.935; 95% CI 0.878-0.995; P = 0.035) was associated with non-curative resection. No recurrences were observed in patients who had undergone a complete ER during a follow-up period of 42.8 months (range, 3-127 months).

CONCLUSION

Endoscopic resection is an effective, safe, and feasible treatment for non-ampullary duodenal lesions.

Submucosal lifting agent ORISE gel causes extensive foreign body granuloma post endoscopic resection

BACKGROUND

Submucosal injection of lifting solution is often performed to facilitate endoscopic mucosal resection or endoscopic submucosal dissection. ORISE^TM gel is a synthetic solution recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2018 for use as submucosal lifting solution for endoscopic resection procedures and has gained popularity for its convenient pre-filled syringe. However, here the present two cases show that ORISE^TM gel induces marked foreign body giant cell granulomatous reaction in the submucosa and muscularis propria following endoscopic resection.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A 73-year-old female underwent laparoscopic right colectomy after her initial endoscopic polypectomy of a hyperplastic polyp, and a 78-year-old male had partial gastrectomy following endoscopic mucosal resection of an invasive adenocarcinoma. Both patients had submucosal injection of ORISE^TM gel during endoscopic procedures, and the surgical resection specimens showed ORISE^TM gel deposition and extensive foreign body giant cell granulomatous reaction in the submucosa and muscularis propria.

CONCLUSION

These cases raise the awareness that ORISE^TM gel stimulates extensive foreign body reaction at the injection site, and the further consequence is still unclear.

Endoscopic resection for non-polypoid dysplasia in inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate efficacy and safety of endoscopic treatment for the non-polypoid dysplasia in patients with long-standing IBD.

METHODS

Medline, Embase, Cochrane, and clinicaltrials.gov registry were comprehensively searched. Pooled estimates of curative, R0, en-bloc resection rates, CRC, metachronous dysplasia, and local recurrence rates were calculated. Subgroup analysis according to areas, lesion size, endoscopic resection techniques, and grades of dysplasia were conducted. Data synthesis was completed in R using the package "meta".

RESULTS

Of the 973 studies initially identified, 7 met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. These were all single-arm cohorts and included a total of 202 patients with IBD and non-polypoid dysplasia. The combined R0 and en-bloc resection rate were 0.70 (95% CI 0.55-0.81) and 0.86 (95% CI 0.65-0.95), respectively, with a recurrence rate of 0.08 (95% CI 0.05-0.13). CRC and metachronous dysplasia incidences were pooled as 32.53 (95% CI 12.21-86.67) and 90.24 (95% CI 44.91-181.33) per 1000 patient years.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-polypoid dysplasia associated with IBD can be resected endoscopically, especially by ESD. However, these patients have higher CRC and metachronous dysplasia incidence rates than patients with polypoid dysplasia, indicating a closer endoscopic surveillance.

Update on gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

The incidence gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NENs) has dramatically risen over the last three decades, probably due to the increased detection of asymptomatic lesions. The diagnostic work-up for patients with suspected GEP-NENs is based on conventional imaging, endoscopy, pathology, and functional imaging, including ⁶⁸Gallium-DOTATATE PET and ¹⁸F-FDG PET. The choice of the best treatment strategy should be based on the evaluation of tumor-related features and patient's characteristics. A conservative management, consisting of active surveillance or endoscopic resection, has been advocated for patients with small, incidentally discovered, nonfunctioning tumors without features of aggressiveness. On the other hand, surgery with lymphadenectomy, also with a minimally invasive approach, represents the gold standard for the curative treatment of localized disease. Moreover, surgical resection plays an important role also in the context of a multimodal treatment strategy for patients with advanced GEP-NENs. Finally, a wide range of medical therapies, comprising somatostatin analogues, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, target therapies and several chemotherapy regimens, can be offered to patients with advanced GEP-NENs not amenable of surgical resection, according to the biological and molecular features of their disease.

Cold Snare Papillectomy for Re-redo Endoscopic Resection of a Defiant Adenoma Recurrence with a Unique Growth Pattern

Endoscopic papillectomy has become the mainstay treatment in early papillary neoplasia. However, local recurrence remains the Achilles heel of the procedure due to the complex anatomy and limited ductal involvement unappreciated on endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and/or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). While re-do papillectomy is, in general, technically feasible and widely accepted to treat recurrent adenoma, re-redo procedures to this end have rarely been reported. Likewise, utilization of cold snare technology is rarely considered in papillectomy and has, in fact, only once been reported in the literature before. We present a unique clinical case with a highly atypical growth pattern with a bonnet-like pedunculated lesion with a small insertion point just at the pancreatic duct orifice treated by re-redo cold snare papillectomy.

How to cite this article: Zimmer V, Emrich K. Cold Snare Papillectomy for Re-redo Endoscopic Resection of a Defiant Adenoma Recurrence with a Unique Growth Pattern. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2021;11(1):43–44.

Comprehensive registry of esophageal cancer in Japan, 2013

BACKGROUND

Esophageal cancer is the eighth most common cause of cancer mortality in Japan. More than 11,000 people had died from esophageal cancer in 2018. The Japan Esophageal Society has collected the data on patients' characteristics, performed treatment, and outcomes annually.

METHODS

We analyzed the data of patients who had first visited the participating hospitals in 2013. In 2019, the data collection method was changed from an electronic submission to a web-based data collection using the National Clinical Database (NCD). Japanese Classification of Esophageal Cancer 10th by the Japan Esophageal Society (JES) and UICC TNM Classification 7th were used for cancer staging RESULTS: A total of 8019 cases were registered from 334 institutions in Japan. Squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma accounted for 87.8% and 6.3%, respectively. The 5-year survival rates of patients treated using endoscopic resection, concurrent chemoradiotherapy, radiotherapy alone, or esophagectomy were 88.3%, 32.4%, 24.4%, and 59.3%, respectively. Esophagectomy was performed in 4910 cases. The operative and the hospital mortality rates were 0.77% and 1.98%, respectively. The survival curves showed a good discriminatory ability both in the clinical and pathologic stages by the JES system. The 5-year survival rate of patients with pStage IV in the UICC classification that included patients with supraclavicular node metastasis was better than that of patients with pStage IVb in JES classification.

CONCLUSION

We hope this report contributes to improving all aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancer in Japan.