Circumferential endoscopic resection of Barrett's esophagus with high-grade dysplasia or early adenocarcinoma

Submucosal Tunneling Techniques for Tumor Resection

The concept of third space endoscopy is based on the principle that the deeper layers of the gastrointestinal tract can be accessed by tunneling in the submucosal space and maintaining the integrity of the overlying mucosa. The mucosal flap safety valve enabled endoscopists to use submucosal space securely. The era of third space endoscopy started with peroral endoscopic myotomy for treatment of achalasia and has expanded to treat various other gastrointestinal disorders, such as mucosal lesions, submucosal tumors, extraluminal tumors, and refractory gastroparesis, Zenker diverticulum, and restoration of the completely obstructed esophageal lumen. Third space endoscopy rapidly emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to conventional surgery. Many studies discovered that this technique is safe and effective with excellent outcomes. Our review focused on the indications, techniques, clinical management, and adverse events of submucosal tunneling techniques for tumor resection.

Benefit of radiofrequency ablation after widespread endoscopic resection of neoplastic Barrett's esophagus in daily practice

Background

High-grade dysplasia (HGD) and intramucosal carcinoma (IMC) in Barrett’s esophagus (BE) are now well-established indications for endoscopic resection (ER). Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) can be combined with ER in case of flat or long-segment BE ablation. We report here our experience of complementary RFA after widespread ER of neoplastic BE in daily practice.

Method

We retrospectively reviewed data of 89 patients, treated between 2006 and 2013 by ER alone (group 1) or by ER combined with RFA (group 2).

Results

Fifty-five patients in group 1 (7F/48M, mean age 68 years) underwent widespread ER with eradication of residual non-dysplastic BE. Complete eradication of HGD/IMC and intestinal metaplasia (IM) was achieved in 32/32 (100%) and 48/55 (87.3%) patients, respectively. Thirty-four patients in group 2 (3F/31M, mean age 67 years) had a multimodal treatment strategy, with widespread ER followed by RFA. Mean Prague classification of BE in this group was significantly longer (C4.4M6.6 vs. C2.7M4.5, P<0.001). Complete eradication of HGD/IMC and non-dysplastic BE was confirmed in 26/27 (96.3%) and 20/34 (58.8%) patients, respectively. There was no significant difference between groups concerning adverse events (16.4% vs. 23.5%, P=0.58) or recurrence rate of HGD/IMC (9.1% vs. 14.7%, P=0.42). The mismatch rate between preoperative and final histological diagnosis was high in both groups, at 45.5% and 26.5%.

Conclusions

A combination of ER and RFA can treat significantly longer neoplastic BE than ER alone, with the same efficiency and safety. Widespread ER, in contrast, is the only method of obtaining a reliable histological diagnosis.

Efficacy of oral steroid gel in preventing esophageal stricture after extensive endoscopic submucosal dissection: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Esophageal stricture is a distressing issue for patients with early esophageal cancer following extensive endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), and the current steroid-based approaches are unsatisfactory for stricture prophylaxis. We evaluated the efficacy of oral hydrocortisone sodium succinate and aluminum phosphate gel (OHA) for stricture prophylaxis after extensive ESD.

METHODS

Patients undergoing > 3/4 circumferential ESD were randomized to either the endoscopic loco-regional triamcinolone acetonide injection (ETI) plus oral prednisone group or the OHA group. The primary endpoint was incidence of esophageal stricture, and the secondary endpoints included adverse events (AEs) and endoscopic balloon dilations (EBDs).

RESULTS

The incidence of esophageal stricture in OHA group (per-protocol analysis, 9.4%, 3/32; intention-to-treat analysis, 12.1%, 4/33) was significantly less than that of control group (per-protocol analysis, 35.5%, 11/31, P = 0.013; intention-to-treat analysis, 39.4%, 13/33, P = 0.011). Two sessions of EBD were necessary to release all strictures in the OHA group, while the similar EBDs (median 2, range 1-4) for 11 of the control. Operation-related AEs included infection (control vs. OHA group = 9.7% vs. 31.3%, P = 0.034), operation-related hypokalemia (19.4% vs. 31.3%, P = 0.278), perforation (3.2% vs. 3.1%), post-ESD hemorrhage (6.5% vs. 0%), and cardiac arrhythmia (0% vs. 6.3%). Steroid-related AEs included steroid-related hypokalemia (16.1% vs. 25%) and bone fracture (3.2% vs. 0%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that OHA was an independent protective factor for stricture (OR 0.079; 95%CI 0.011, 0.544; P = 0.01) and mucosal defect > 11/12 circumference was an independent risk factor (OR 49.91; 95%CI 6.7, 371.83; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

OHA showed significantly better efficacy in preventing esophageal stricture after > 3/4 circumferential ESD compared to ETI plus oral prednisone.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection/endoscopic mucosal resection guidelines for esophageal cancer

The Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society has developed endoscopic submucosal dissection/endoscopic mucosal resection guidelines. These guidelines present recommendations in response to 18 clinical questions concerning the preoperative diagnosis, indications, resection methods, curability assessment, and surveillance of patients undergoing endoscopic resection for esophageal cancers based on a systematic review of the scientific literature.

Progress on the Prevention of Esophageal Stricture after Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been widely accepted as an effective, minimally invasive treatment for superficial esophageal cancers. However, esophageal stricture often occurs in patients with large mucosal defects after ESD. In this review, we discuss various approaches recently researched to prevent esophageal strictures after ESD. These approaches can be classified as pharmacological treatments, esophageal stent treatments, and tissue engineering approaches. Most of the preventive approaches still have their limitations and require further research. With the improvement of current therapies, ESD can be more widely utilized as a minimally invasive treatment with minimal complications.

Efficacy, Durability, and Safety of Complete Endoscopic Mucosal Resection of Barrett Esophagus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

GOALS

To report the rate of eradication and recurrence of both neoplasia and intestinal mucosa and the rate of adverse events for complete endoscopic resection (CER) of Barrett esophagus (BE).

BACKGROUND

There is limited composite data on the clinical efficacy of CER of BE with high-grade dysplasia or neoplasia.

STUDY

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies that reported the clinical outcome of patients with BE who underwent CER and had at least 15-month follow-up after the time of elimination of BE. Main outcome of interests were pooled estimated rates of complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia and neoplasia, recurrence of intestinal metaplasia and neoplasia, and incidence of esophageal stricture, bleeding, and perforation.

RESULTS

We identified 8 studies reporting on 676 patients (high-grade dysplasia 54%) that met our criteria. Pooled estimated rates of complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia and complete eradication of intestinal neoplasia were 85.0% [95% confidence interval (CI), 79.4%-89.2%] and 96.6% (95% CI, 94.0%-98.1%), respectively, and rates of recurrence of intestinal metaplasia and recurrence of intestinal neoplasia were 15.7% (95% CI, 8.0%-28.4%) and 5.8% (95% CI, 3.9%-8.6%), respectively. Estimated incidences of adverse events were stricture 37.4 (95% CI, 24.4%-52.6%), bleeding 7.9% (95% CI, 4.4%-13.8%) and perforation 2.3% (95% CI, 1.3%-4.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

CER achieves an 85% complete eradication rate of BE with recurrent rate of neoplasia of 6%. Estimated rate of postprocedural stricture was 37.4%. On the basis of this high rate of adverse events and significant heterogeneity in the studies included, the present meta-analysis cannot endorse CER as sole therapy for BE.

Endoscopic treatment of Barrett's esophagus: What can we learn from the Western perspective?

The incidence of Barrett's esophagus (BE)-related neoplasia in Western countries has increased in the past several decades and, even in Eastern countries, it appears to be increasing. Endoscopic therapies are the first-line treatment for BE-related neoplasia; however, there is still no standardized treatment strategy. Most of the data have been published from Western countries where the ultimate goal of treatment is complete eradication of BE mucosa removing subtle synchronous lesions and preventing metachronous neoplasia. A multimodality approach that combines endoscopic resection and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been widely accepted in the West. In contrast, the lack of access to RFA treatment in the East has meant that endoscopic resection is the only feasible option. There is a wide divergence in treatment strategies for BE-related neoplasia between the East and the West. It is very important to consider these basic differences in the context of the currently available evidence to date. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to review the recent literature and to provide an overview of the endoscopic treatment options for BE.

Approaches for stricture prevention after esophageal endoscopic resection

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Endoscopic resection of extensive esophageal lesions has become more common as endoscopic resection techniques and equipment have developed. However, extensive esophageal endoscopic resections can cause postoperative esophageal strictures, which have a negative impact on the quality of life of patients. We aimed to review current treatments and innovative approaches to prevent esophageal strictures after widespread endoscopic resection of esophageal lesions.

METHODS

We performed a comprehensive literature search from 2000 to 2016 using predetermined search terms to identify relevant articles and summarized their results as a narrative review.

RESULTS

A total of 21 original articles and case series were identified. A circumferential mucosal defect involving more than three fourths of the esophageal luminal circumference was the primary risk factor for developing an esophageal stricture after endoscopic resection. Oral and injectable steroid therapy demonstrated promise in preventing post-endoscopic submucosal dissection esophageal strictures, with both strategies significantly reducing the number of required endoscopic balloon dilations. More data are needed on prophylactic self-expandable metal stents, local botulinum toxin injection, and oral tranilast as a strategy to prevent post-endoscopic submucosal dissection esophageal strictures. Although preliminary studies of tissue-shielding resection sites with polyglycolic acid sheets and fibrin glue and autologous cell sheet transplantation have demonstrated promising results, additional larger validation studies are needed.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral and locally injected/administered steroids are first-line options for the prevention of esophageal strictures, but additional innovative solutions are being developed.

Recurrence of intestinal metaplasia and early neoplasia after endoscopic eradication therapy for Barrett's esophagus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

 Conflicting data exist with regard to recurrence rates of intestinal metaplasia (IM) and dysplasia after achieving complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia (CE-IM) in Barrett's esophagus (BE) patients.

AIM

 (i) To determine the incidence of recurrent IM and dysplasia achieving CE-IM and (ii) to compare recurrence rates between treatment modalities [radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with or without endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) vs stepwise complete EMR (SRER)].

METHODS

 A systematic search was performed for studies reporting on outcomes and estimates of recurrence rates after achieving CE-IM. Pooled incidence [per 100-patient-years (PY)] and risk ratios with 95 %CI were obtained. Heterogeneity was measured using the I² statistic. Subgroup analyses, decided a priori, were performed to explore heterogeneity in results.

RESULTS

 A total of 39 studies were identified (25-RFA, 13-SRER, and 2 combined). The pooled incidence of any recurrence was 7.5 (95 %CI 6.1 - 9.0)/100 PY with a pooled incidence of IM recurrence rate of 4.8 (95 %CI 3.8 - 5.9)/100 PY, and dysplasia recurrence rate of 2.0 (95 %CI 1.5 - 2.5)/100 PY. Compared to the SRER group, the RFA group had significantly higher overall [8.6 (6.7 - 10.5)/100 PY vs. 5.1 (3.1 - 7)/100 PY, P  = 0.01] and IM recurrence rates [5.8 (4.3 - 7.3)/100 PY vs. 3.1 (1.7 - 4)/100 PY, P  < 0.01] with no difference in recurrence rates of dysplasia. Significant heterogeneity between studies was identified. The majority of recurrences were amenable to repeat endoscopic eradication therapy (EET).

CONCLUSION

 The results of this study demonstrate that the incidence rates of overall, IM, and dysplasia recurrence rates post-EET are not inconsiderable and reinforce the importance of close surveillance after achieving CE-IM.

Endoscopic mucosal resection for high-grade dysplasia and intramucosal carcinoma: a Canadian experience

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is increasingly being used as a first-line treatment for Barrett esophagus (BE) with high-grade dysplasia (HGD) and intramucosal adenocarcinoma (IMC). We reviewed our experience with endoscopic treatment of BE with HGD and IMC at our institution with respect to eradication rates, complications and long-term recurrence.

METHODS

We performed a single-centre retrospective review of all patients referred between October 2010 and August 2014 for EMR with dysplastic BE or IMC. We performed EMR using a cap-fitted endoscope, and the procedure was repeated every 3 months until eradication or progression of disease.

RESULTS

A total of 28 patients were identified: 16 with dysplastic BE (14 HGD, 1 low-grade dysplasia, 1 intermediate dysplasia) and 12 with IMC. Complete eradication of HGD was achieved in 11 of 14 (79%) patients. Three of 12 (25%) patients initially referred with suspected IMC were found to have invasive adenocarcinoma on EMR. Eradication was successful in 8 of 9 (89%) patients with true IMC, with 1 patient progressing to salvage esophagectomy. Complications occurred in 2 of 28 (7%) patients; both had esophageal strictures managed with dilatation. Median duration of follow-up was 371 days.

CONCLUSION

Our experience supports the safety of EMR as a first-line treatment for patients with BE with dysplasia and IMC in early short-term follow-up.

Efficacy and safety outcomes of multimodal endoscopic eradication therapy in Barrett's esophagus-related neoplasia: a systematic review and pooled analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Focal EMR followed by radiofrequency ablation (f-EMR + RFA) and stepwise or complete EMR (s-EMR) are established strategies for eradication of Barrett's esophagus (BE)-related high-grade dysplasia (HGD) and/or esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC)/intramucosal carcinoma (IMC). The objective of this study was to derive pooled rates of efficacy and safety of individual methods in a large cohort of patients with BE and to indirectly compare the 2 methods.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, and major conference proceedings were searched. A systematic review and pooled analysis were carried out to determine the following outcomes in patients with BE undergoing either f-EMR + RFA or s-EMR: (1) complete eradication rates of neoplasia (CE-N) and intestinal metaplasia (CE-IM); (2) recurrence rates of cancer (EAC), dysplasia, and IM; (3) incidence rates of adverse events. Mixed logistic regression was performed as an exploratory analysis to examine differences in outcomes between the 2 methods.

RESULTS

Nine studies (774 patients) of f-EMR + RFA and 11 studies (751 patients) of s-EMR were included. Patients undergoing f-EMR + RFA had high BE eradication rates (CE-N, 93.4%; CE-IM, 73.1%), whereas strictures occurred in 10.2%, bleeding in 1.1%, and perforations in 0.2% of patients. Recurrence of EAC, dysplasia, and IM was 1.4%, 2.6%, and 16.1%, respectively, in this group. Patients undergoing s-EMR also showed high BE eradication rates (CE-N, 94.9%; CE-IM, 79.6%) but a higher rate of adverse events (strictures in 33.5%, bleeding in 7.5%, and perforation in 1.3%). Recurrence of EAC, dysplasia, and IM was 0.7%, 3.3%, and 12.1%, respectively, in the s-EMR group. Mixed logistic regression showed that patients undergoing s-EMR might be more likely to develop esophageal strictures (odds ratio [OR], 4.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.61-13.85; P = .005), perforation (OR, 7.00; 95% CI, 1.56-31.33; P = .01), and bleeding (OR, 6.88; 95% CI, 2.19-21.62; P = 0.001) compared with f-EMR + RFA.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with HGD/EAC, f-EMR followed by RFA seems to be equally effective as and safer than s-EMR.

Oral steroid prophylaxis is effective in preventing esophageal strictures after large endoscopic resection

Background

Strictures are frequent complications of large endoscopic mucosal resections (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissections of the esophagus. Local or systemic steroid therapy has shown promise in the prevention of secondary stenosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of systemic steroid therapy following endoscopic resection of at least hemi-circumferential esophageal mucosa.

Methods

This was a single-center retrospective study in a tertiary center. We evaluated patients who were treated with oral steroids between July 2013 and September 2015, after undergoing a large EMR for Barrett’s esophagus associated with dysplasia or carcinoma. The steroid protocol used was an initial dose of 30 mg prednisolone, tapered over 8 weeks. Exclusion criteria were a previous attempt at radiofrequency ablation or resection.

Results

Thirty-one patients (27 men) were analyzed: 13 with low-grade dysplasia Barrett’s esophagus, 16 with in situ adenocarcinoma, 1 with pT1SM1 adenocarcinoma, and 1 with pT1SM2 adenocarcinoma. Twenty-eight resections (28/31) were completed (R0) in 1-3 sessions (median 2), while 3 resections were R1. The median length of Barrett’s esophagus was C3M5 (range C0M2-C10M11) according to the Prague classification. The median follow up was 10 months (range 4-17), during which 4 patients (13%) developed a secondary stenosis. All stenoses were successfully treated by endoscopic dilation (range 1-4). No complications related to dilation or to the steroid therapy were observed.

Conclusions

Our rate of secondary stricture was lower than expected, given the rates of 17-88% in published studies. Systemic oral steroid therapy seems to be effective in reducing potential esophageal stenosis after EMR. Complementary randomized studies are required to confirm whether systemic steroids are an effective primary prophylaxis for esophageal stenosis.

Update on management of Barrett's esophagus

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a common condition that develops as a consequence of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The significance of Barrett's metaplasia is that predisposes to cancer development. This article provides a current evidence-based review for the management of BE and related early neoplasia. Controversial issues that impact the management of patients with BE, including definition, screening, clinical aspects, diagnosis, surveillance, and management of dysplasia and early cancer have been assessed.

Management of Barrett's esophagus: From screening to newer treatments

Barrett's esophagus is a premalignant condition of the esophagus in which the squamous epithelium of the lower end of the esophagus is replaced with columnar epithelium. Since the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma is on the rise, the major gastroenterology societies have come up with their recommendations for screening and surveillance. Specific factors like obesity, white race, age over 50 years, early age of onset of GERD, smoking and hiatal hernia have been identified as increasing the risk of Barrett's esophagus and adenocarcinoma. The diagnosis requires both endoscopic identification of columnar-lined mucosa and histological confirmation with biopsy. Most medical societies recommend screening people with GERD and other risk factors with endoscopy, but other alternatives employing less invasive methods are currently being studied. Surveillance strategies vary depending on the endoscopic findings and the Seattle biopsy protocol with random 4-quadrant sampling is recommended. Biomarkers have shown promising results, but more studies are needed in the future. White light endoscopy is the standard practice, but other advanced imaging modalities have shown variable results and hence more studies are awaited for further validation. Endoscopic eradication techniques, including both resection and ablation, have shown good but variable results for treating dysplastic lesions confined to the mucosa. Resection procedures to remove visible lesions followed by ablation of the dysplastic mucosa have shown the best results with higher eradication rates and lower recurrence rates. Surgical management is reserved for lesions with sub-mucosal invasion and lymph node spread with increased risk of metastasis.

Cell Sheet Transplantation for Esophageal Stricture Prevention after Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection in a Porcine Model

Background & Aims

Extended esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is highly responsible for esophageal stricture. We conducted a comparative study in a porcine model to evaluate the effectiveness of adipose tissue-derived stromal cell (ADSC) double cell sheet transplantation.

Methods

Twelve female pigs were treated with 5 cm long hemi-circumferential ESD and randomized in two groups. ADSC group (n = 6) received 4 double cell sheets of allogenic ADSC on a paper support membrane and control group (n = 6) received 4 paper support membranes. ADSC were labelled with PKH-67 fluorophore to allow probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopie (pCLE) monitoring. After 28 days follow-up, animals were sacrificed. At days 3, 14 and 28, endoscopic evaluation with pCLE and esophagography were performed.

Results

One animal from the control group was excluded (anesthetic complication). Animals from ADSC group showed less frequent alimentary trouble (17% vs 80%; P = 0.08) and higher gain weight on day 28. pCLE demonstrated a compatible cell signal in 4 animals of the ADSC group at day 3. In ADSC group, endoscopy showed that 1 out of 6(17%) animals developed a severe esophageal stricture comparatively to 100% (5/5) in the control group; P = 0.015. Esophagography demonstrated a decreased degree of stricture in the ADSC group on day 14 (44% vs 81%; P = 0.017) and day 28 (46% vs 90%; P = 0.035). Histological analysis showed a decreased fibrosis development in the ADSC group, in terms of surface (9.7 vs 26.1 mm²; P = 0.017) and maximal depth (1.6 vs 3.2 mm; P = 0.052).

Conclusion

In this model, transplantation of allogenic ADSC organized in double cell sheets after extended esophegeal ESD is strongly associated with a lower esophageal stricture’s rate.

Endoscopic resection of gastric and esophageal cancer

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) techniques have reduced the need for surgery in early esophageal and gastric cancers and thus has lessened morbidity and mortality in these diseases. ESD is a relatively new technique in western countries and requires rigorous training to reproduce the proficiency of Asian countries, such as Korea and Japan, which have very high complete (en bloc) resection rates and low complication rates. EMR plays a valuable role in early esophageal cancers. ESD has shown better en bloc resection rates but it is easier to master and maintain proficiency in EMR; it also requires less procedural time. For early esophageal adenocarcinoma arising from Barrett’s, ESD and EMR techniques are usually combined with other ablative modalities, the most common being radiofrequency ablation because it has the largest dataset to prove its success. The EMR techniques have been used with some success in early gastric cancers but ESD is currently preferred for most of these lesions. ESD has the added advantage of resecting into the submucosa and thus allowing for endoscopic resection of more aggressive (deeper) early gastric cancer.

Advances in the management of Barrett's esophagus and early esophageal adenocarcinoma

The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) has markedly increased in the United States over the last few decades. Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is the most significant known risk factor for this malignancy. Theoretically, screening and treating early BE should help prevent EAC but the exact incidence of BE and its progression to EAC is not entirely known and cost-effectiveness studies for Barrett’s screening are lacking. Over the last few years, there have been major advances in our understanding of the epidemiology, pathogenesis and endoscopic management of BE. These developments focus on early recognition of advanced histology and endoscopic treatment of high-grade dysplasia. Advanced resection techniques now enable us to endoscopically treat early esophageal cancer. In this review, we will discuss these recent advances in diagnosis and treatment of Barrett’s esophagus and early esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Systematic review: the prevention of oesophageal stricture after endoscopic resection

BACKGROUND

Extensive endoscopic resections for the treatment of early oesophageal neoplasia can result in fibro-inflammatory strictures that require repeated interventions, which significantly alter the patients' quality of life.

AIMS

To review current evidence about the prevention of oesophageal strictures following endoscopic resections.

METHODS

Systematic search of PubMed and Embase from inception to March 2015 using appropriate keywords. All original publications in English were included, and articles on the treatment of oesophageal stricture were excluded.

RESULTS

Of the 461 hits, 62 studies were included in the analysis. Among the wound-protective strategies, polyglycolic acid sheets showed the most convincing evidence with a 37.5% stricture rate and excellent safety. Regenerative medicine, using cell sheets of autologous keratinocytes, resulted in a 25% stricture rate, although with cost and availability concerns. Among anti-proliferative treatment modalities, steroid treatment, either endoscopically injected triamcinolone in the resection wound or orally administered prednisolone, proved effective with an overall stricture rate of 13.5%, with safety concerns regarding late oesophageal perforations and infectious morbidity. Among mechanical treatment options, poorly effective and high-risk preventive balloon dilation tend to be replaced by prophylactic covered stent, with 18-28% stricture rates.

CONCLUSIONS

Although oral or locally injected steroids are promising options, no currently available technique is sufficiently efficient and devoid of significant safety concerns to recommend its routine use for the prevention of strictures after extensive endoscopic resection. Improving our knowledge in the mechanisms of oesophageal wound healing will guide the development of novel methods for stricture prevention.

Complete endoscopic mucosal resection is effective and durable treatment for Barrett's-associated neoplasia

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Barrett's esophagus (BE) with high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or intramucosal carcinoma (IMC) is treated by complete eradication of areas of BE by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). By using this approach, histologic analysis also can be performed. We investigated the effectiveness, safety, and durability of this approach, as well as its use in diagnosis after a single referral.

METHODS

We collected data from 107 patients who were referred to the Center for Endoscopic Research and Therapeutics at the University of Chicago for BE (mean length, 3.6 cm) with suspected HGD or IMC, from August 2003 through December 2012. All patients underwent EMR and were followed up through January 2014 (mean follow-up time, 40.6 mo). The primary outcome was treatment efficacy (complete eradication of BE and associated neoplasia); secondary outcomes included safety, durability, and accuracy of diagnosis.

RESULTS

BE was eradicated completely by EMR in 80.4% (86 of 107) of patients based on intention-to-treat analysis, and in 98.8% (79 of 80) of patients based on per-protocol analysis. The diagnosis was changed for 25% of patients after EMR, including 4 cases that initially were diagnosed as HGD by biopsy analysis and subsequently were found to have evidence of submucosal invasion when EMR specimens were assessed. Strictures and symptomatic dysphagia developed in 41.1% and 37.3% of patients, respectively, with an average of 2.3 dilations required. Perforations occurred in 2 patients after EMR and in 1 patient after dilation. HGD and IMC recurred in 1 patient each; both were treated successfully with EMR. Based on pathology analysis of the most recently collected specimens, 71.6% of patients (53 of 74) were in complete remission from intestinal metaplasia and 100% were in complete remission from HGD (74 of 74) or cancer (74 of 74).

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with BE with HGD or neoplasia, complete EMR is an effective and durable treatment and is a relatively safe technique. Specimens collected by EMR also can be analyzed histologically to aid in diagnosis. The common complication of EMR is esophageal stricture, which can be addressed with endoscopic dilation.

Systematic review comparing radiofrequency ablation and complete endoscopic resection in treating dysplastic Barrett's esophagus: a critical assessment of histologic outcomes and adverse events

BACKGROUND

With recent advances in endoscopy, endoscopic techniques have surpassed esophagectomy in the treatment of dysplastic Barrett's esophagus (BE).

OBJECTIVE

To compare the efficacy and safety of complete EMR and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the treatment of dysplastic BE.

DESIGN

Systematic review of literature.

PATIENTS

Diagnosis of BE with high-grade dysplasia or intramucosal cancer.

INTERVENTION

Complete EMR or RFA.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Complete eradication of dysplasia and intestinal metaplasia at the end of treatment and after >12 months' follow-up. Adverse event rates associated with treatment.

RESULTS

A total of 22 studies met the inclusion criteria. Only 1 trial directly compared the 2 techniques; most studies were observational case series. Dysplasia was effectively eradicated at the end of treatment in 95% of patients after complete EMR and 92% after RFA. After a median follow-up of 23 months for complete EMR and 21 months for RFA, eradication of dysplasia was maintained in 95% of patients treated with complete EMR and 94% treated with RFA. Short-term adverse events were seen in 12% of patients treated with complete EMR but in only 2.5% of those treated with RFA. Esophageal strictures were adverse events in 38% of patients treated with complete EMR, compared with 4% of those treated with RFA. Progression to cancer appeared to be rare after treatment, although follow-up was short.

LIMITATIONS

Small studies, heterogeneous in design, with variable outcome measures. Also follow-up durations were short, limiting evaluation of long-term durability of both treatments.

CONCLUSION

RFA and complete EMR are equally effective in the short-term treatment of dysplastic BE, but adverse event rates are higher with complete EMR.

Comparison of the long-term outcomes of endoscopic resection for superficial squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus in Japan

OBJECTIVES

Few studies have simultaneously evaluated the long-term outcomes of endoscopic resection (ER) for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AC) of the esophagus in Japan. The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of ER for superficial esophageal cancer in consecutive patients.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study from a single institution. From April 2001 to June 2012, 204 patients with SCC and 26 patients with AC were included from a total of 355 consecutive patients who were treated by esophageal ER at the Tohoku University Hospital. Patients with submucosal invasion deeper than 200 μm and lymphovascular involvement were excluded. The intervention followed was endoscopic therapy.

RESULTS

Overall survival, disease-free survival, and recurrence rates were evaluated as long-term outcomes. In the SCC group, during the median observation time of 36.5 months (range, 6-120 months), 22 (10.8%) patients experienced metachronous recurrence, 4 (2.0%) patients experienced local recurrence, and 27 (13.2%) patients died from causes unrelated to SCC. In the AC group, during the median observation time of 45.5 months (range, 6-131 months), one patient (3.8%) experienced metachronous recurrence and two (7.7%) died from causes unrelated to AC. The cumulative 5-year overall survival rates were not significantly different between SCC (75.9%) and AC (88.9%) (P=0.120). The cumulative 5-year disease-free survival rates of SCC (57.1%) were significantly lower than those of AC (85.2%; P=0.017). The cumulative 5-year recurrence rates of SCC (32.0%) were significantly higher than those of AC (4.2%; P=0.023).

CONCLUSIONS

The rate of recurrence after ER was higher in patients with SCC than that in patients with AC. These findings suggest that, by detecting AC of the esophagus earlier, a satisfactory prognosis without recurrence can be expected after ER in Japan, and more rigorous endoscopic follow-up is necessary after ER in patients with SCC than in those with AC.

One-step circumferential endoscopic mucosal cap resection of Barrett's esophagus with early neoplasia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Focal endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) of visible intraepithelial lesions arising within Barrett's esophagus (BE) may miss synchronous lesions that are not endoscopically apparent. Stepwise radical endoscopic resection would obviate this concern by removing all BE; however, it requires repeated endoscopy which may increase the risk of complications, particularly for patients with circumferential BE. The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of one-step complete circumferential resection of BE by cap-assisted EMR (EMR-C) among patients with circumferential BE and high-grade dysplasia or intramucosal carcinoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between January 2003 and March 2010, 47 patients with circumferential BE and biopsy-proven high-grade dysplasia or intramucosal cancer underwent EMR-C. We evaluated: (1) complete eradication of neoplasia, (2) complete eradication of metaplasia, and (3) complications including bleeding and esophageal stricture.

RESULTS

Complete eradication of neoplasia and complete eradication of metaplasia were achieved after a median follow-up of 18.4 months in 91% (43/47) of patients. After EMR-C, two patients (one IMC, one invasive cancer) underwent esophagectomy. Histology of the resected specimens showed no residual disease and a T1bN0 lesion, respectively. Two patients had progression of neoplasia. A stenosis occurred in 18 out of 45 patients (40%). All stenoses were treated with dilations and two required temporary placement of a covered stent.

CONCLUSION

One-step complete EMR-C is a safe and effective technique which can be considered in patients with early neoplastic lesions. Although 40% of patients developed dysphagia, this could well be managed endoscopically.

Treatment of dysplasia in barrett esophagus

Barrett esophagus is recognized as a risk factor for the development of dysplasia and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. Cancer is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage with a 5-year survival rate of 15%. Most of these patients present de novo and are not part of a surveillance program. Endoscopic screening with improvement in recognition of early lesions may change this pattern. In the past, patients diagnosed with dysplasia and mucosal cancer were best managed by esophagectomy. Endoscopic techniques such as endoscopic mucosal resection and radiofrequency ablation have resulted in high curative rates and a shift away from esophagectomy. This pathway is supported by the literature review of esophagectomies performed for mucosal disease, as well as pathologists' interpretation of endoscopic mucosal specimens, which document the low risk of lymph node metastasis. The role of endoscopic therapy for superficial submucosal disease continues to be a challenge.

British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines on the diagnosis and management of Barrett's oesophagus

These guidelines provide a practical and evidence-based resource for the management of patients with Barrett's oesophagus and related early neoplasia. The Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) instrument was followed to provide a methodological strategy for the guideline development. A systematic review of the literature was performed for English language articles published up until December 2012 in order to address controversial issues in Barrett's oesophagus including definition, screening and diagnosis, surveillance, pathological grading for dysplasia, management of dysplasia, and early cancer including training requirements. The rigour and quality of the studies was evaluated using the SIGN checklist system. Recommendations on each topic were scored by each author using a five-tier system (A+, strong agreement, to D+, strongly disagree). Statements that failed to reach substantial agreement among authors, defined as >80% agreement (A or A+), were revisited and modified until substantial agreement (>80%) was reached. In formulating these guidelines, we took into consideration benefits and risks for the population and national health system, as well as patient perspectives. For the first time, we have suggested stratification of patients according to their estimated cancer risk based on clinical and histopathological criteria. In order to improve communication between clinicians, we recommend the use of minimum datasets for reporting endoscopic and pathological findings. We advocate endoscopic therapy for high-grade dysplasia and early cancer, which should be performed in high-volume centres. We hope that these guidelines will standardise and improve management for patients with Barrett's oesophagus and related neoplasia.

"Underwater" EMR of sporadic laterally spreading nonampullary duodenal adenomas (with video)

BACKGROUND

EMR for the treatment of duodenal adenomas is challenging due to a thin wall and rich vascularity.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate a novel technique of "underwater" EMR without prior submucosal injection for the removal of large (≥2 cm) laterally spreading nonampullary duodenal adenomas.

DESIGN

Prospective, observational study.

SETTING

Tertiary academic referral center.

PATIENTS

Twelve patients (median age, 60 years) meeting the inclusion criteria.

INTERVENTIONS

Piecemeal EMR technique after sterile water submersion when using a double-channel endoscope.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Technical success, adverse events, completeness of resection on follow-up endoscopy.

RESULTS

Median adenoma size was 35 mm (25% greater than one-half circumference, 50% equal to one-third to one-half circumference, and 25% less than one-third circumference). Median procedure time was 65 minutes (range, 32-151). Final histology was tubular adenoma (7), tubulovillous adenoma (1), villous adenoma (3), and high-grade dysplasia (1). Eleven patients (92%) met the primary endpoint (technical success) and all patients met the secondary endpoint (completeness of resection). Median interval until follow-up endoscopy was 16 weeks (range, 11-56). Adverse events were as follows: delayed bleeding (3 patients, of whom 2 required transfusions), water intoxication syndrome manifested by altered mental status and hyponatremia (1), and stricture formation (1) that responded to balloon dilation. No perforation or postresection abdominal pain was found.

LIMITATIONS

Single operator, single center, small sample size, limited follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Underwater EMR for large sessile duodenal adenomas has high success rates for complete removal. The risk of delayed bleeding is significant, and precautions are needed when infusing a large volume of fluid into the GI tract.

Endoscopic and surgical resection of T1a/T1b esophageal neoplasms: A systematic review

AIM: To investigate potential therapeutic recommendations for endoscopic and surgical resection of T1a/T1b esophageal neoplasms.

METHODS: A thorough search of electronic databases MEDLINE, Embase, Pubmed and Cochrane Library, from 1997 up to January 2011 was performed. An analysis was carried out, pooling the effects of outcomes of 4241 patients enrolled in 80 retrospective studies. For comparisons across studies, each reporting on only one endoscopic method, we used a random effects meta-regression of the log-odds of the outcome of treatment in each study. “Neural networks” as a data mining technique was employed in order to establish a prediction model of lymph node status in superficial submucosal esophageal carcinoma. Another data mining technique, the “feature selection and root cause analysis”, was used to identify the most important predictors of local recurrence and metachronous cancer development in endoscopically resected patients, and lymph node positivity in squamous carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (ADC) separately in surgically resected patients.

RESULTS: Endoscopically resected patients: Low grade dysplasia was observed in 4% of patients, high grade dysplasia in 14.6%, carcinoma in situ in 19%, mucosal cancer in 54%, and submucosal cancer in 16% of patients. There were no significant differences between endoscopic mucosal resection and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for the following parameters: complications, patients submitted to surgery, positive margins, lymph node positivity, local recurrence and metachronous cancer. With regard to piecemeal resection, ESD performed better since the number of cases was significantly less [coefficient: -7.709438, 95%CI: (-11.03803, -4.380844), P < 0.001]; hence local recurrence rates were significantly lower [coefficient: -4.033528, 95%CI: (-6.151498, -1.915559), P < 0.01]. A higher rate of esophageal stenosis was observed following ESD [coefficient: 7.322266, 95%CI: (3.810146, 10.83439), P < 0.001]. A significantly greater number of SCC patients were submitted to surgery (log-odds, ADC: -2.1206 ± 0.6249 vs SCC: 4.1356 ± 0.4038, P < 0.05). The odds for re-classification of tumor stage after endoscopic resection were 53% and 39% for ADC and SCC, respectively. Local tumor recurrence was best predicted by grade 3 differentiation and piecemeal resection, metachronous cancer development by the carcinoma in situ component, and lymph node positivity by lymphovascular invasion. With regard to surgically resected patients: Significant differences in patients with positive lymph nodes were observed between ADC and SCC [coefficient: 1.889569, 95%CI: (0.3945146, 3.384624), P < 0.01). In contrast, lymphovascular and microvascular invasion and grade 3 patients between histologic types were comparable, the respective rank order of the predictors of lymph node positivity was: Grade 3, lymphovascular invasion (L+), microvascular invasion (V+), submucosal (Sm) 3 invasion, Sm2 invasion and Sm1 invasion. Histologic type (ADC/SCC) was not included in the model. The best predictors for SCC lymph node positivity were Sm3 invasion and (V+). For ADC, the most important predictor was (L+).

CONCLUSION: Local tumor recurrence is predicted by grade 3, metachronous cancer by the carcinoma in-situ component, and lymph node positivity by L+. T1b cancer should be treated with surgical resection.

Endoscopic resection (endoscopic submucosal dissection/endoscopic mucosal resection) for superficial Barrett's esophageal cancer

Recently developed endoscopic resection (endoscopic submucosal dissection [ESD]/ endoscopic mucosal resection) has dramatically changed the therapeutic approach for Barrett's esophageal cancer. The rationale for endoscopic resection is that lesions confined to the mucosal layer have negligible risk for developing lymph node metastasis and can be successfully eradicated by endoscopic treatment as a curative treatment with minimal invasiveness. According to some reports that analyzed the rate of lymph-node involvement relative to the depth of mucosal or submucosal tumor infiltration, endoscopic resection is clearly indicated for intramucosal carcinoma and might be extended to lesions with invasion into the submucosa (<200 μm, sm1) because of the low risk for lymph node metastasis. Most Japanese experts recommend ESD for Barrett's esophageal cancer after accurate diagnosis of the margin of cancer using narrow band imaging with magnifying endoscopy because of its high curative rate. However, few studies have evaluated the long-term outcomes of endoscopic resection for Barrett's esophageal cancer in Japan. Further investigations should be conducted to establish endoscopic resection for Barrett's esophageal cancer.

Treatment strategies for esophageal cancer

The treatment of esophageal cancer has evolved considerably in the past decade and depends largely on the extent of disease at the time of presentation. For disease confined to the esophageal mucosa, endoscopic therapy is replacing esophagectomy as the standard of care. For locoregional disease, neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by esophagectomy is the best strategy for optimizing long-term survival. In the minority of patents who present with metastatic disease, the prognosis is poor. Palliative therapies available for these patients include chemotherapy, radiation, endoscopic therapies to ameliorate obstruction or bleeding, and surgical intervention to optimize nutritional status or to relieve obstruction.

Endoscopic management of Barrett's esophagus: advances in endoscopic techniques

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a well-known premalignant condition that can be associated with the development of dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. In the past, esophagectomy was the standard treatment for patients with BE with high grade dysplasia (HGD) and early cancer (EC). However, esophagectomy is not necessarily the only treatment response to HGD and EC anymore. Over the past decade, a number of endoscopic therapies have been developed for management of BE. These include endoscopic mucosal resection, thermal ablation techniques that use laser irradiation, multipolar electrocoagulation, argon plasma coagulation, photodynamic therapy, and the recently developed cryotherapy and radiofrequency ablation.

Fabricated autologous epidermal cell sheets for the prevention of esophageal stricture after circumferential ESD in a porcine model

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is an accepted treatment for early esophageal carcinoma. However, resection of a large mucosal area, as with circumferential ESD, induces severe stricture formation.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy of cultured autologous epidermal cell sheets to prevent severe esophageal constriction after circumferential ESD.

DESIGN

Animal study.

SETTING

University institute.

INTERVENTION

Eight pigs underwent circumferential esophageal ESD while under general anesthesia. In 4 pigs, fabricated autologous epidermal cell sheets were endoscopically transplanted to the central ESD sites immediately after the ESD. The other 4 pigs underwent circumferential ESD only. Necropsy and histological assessment were performed at 1 and 2 weeks post-ESD.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Weight gain, degree of mucosal constriction, and histological assessments.

RESULTS

All pigs in the control group showed severe esophageal constriction after 2 weeks. The control and transplanted groups had weight gains of -10.3% and 0.3% (P = .03), respectively, and the mean degrees of constriction were 88% and 56% (P < .01), respectively. Early re-epithelialization and mild fibrosis in the muscularis were observed in the transplanted group.

LIMITATIONS

Animal study, small sample size.

CONCLUSIONS

Fabricated autologous skin epidermal cell sheets would be useful in preventing severe esophageal constriction after circumferential ESD.

Consensus statements for management of Barrett's dysplasia and early-stage esophageal adenocarcinoma, based on a Delphi process

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) is increasingly common among patients with Barrett's esophagus (BE). We aimed to provide consensus recommendations based on the medical literature that clinicians could use to manage patients with BE and low-grade dysplasia, high-grade dysplasia (HGD), or early-stage EA.

METHODS

We performed an international, multidisciplinary, systematic, evidence-based review of different management strategies for patients with BE and dysplasia or early-stage EA. We used a Delphi process to develop consensus statements. The results of literature searches were screened using a unique, interactive, Web-based data-sifting platform; we used 11,904 papers to inform the choice of statements selected. An a priori threshold of 80% agreement was used to establish consensus for each statement.

RESULTS

Eighty-one of the 91 statements achieved consensus despite generally low quality of evidence, including 8 clinical statements: (1) specimens from endoscopic resection are better than biopsies for staging lesions, (2) it is important to carefully map the size of the dysplastic areas, (3) patients that receive ablative or surgical therapy require endoscopic follow-up, (4) high-resolution endoscopy is necessary for accurate diagnosis, (5) endoscopic therapy for HGD is preferred to surveillance, (6) endoscopic therapy for HGD is preferred to surgery, (7) the combination of endoscopic resection and radiofrequency ablation is the most effective therapy, and (8) after endoscopic removal of lesions from patients with HGD, all areas of BE should be ablated.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a data-sifting platform and used the Delphi process to create evidence-based consensus statements for the management of patients with BE and early-stage EA. This approach identified important clinical features of the diseases and areas for future studies.

Endotherapy for Barrett's esophagus

Endotherapy is now the mainstay of therapy for Barrett's associated neoplasia. The approach should begin with confirmation of neoplasia by a gastrointestinal pathologist, patient counseling, and appropriate endoscopic work up. Detailed examination with high-resolution white light endoscopy is the most important tool for detection of neoplasia. Further validation studies are needed for many enhanced imaging modalities before being recommended as part of the standard work up and assessment of patients with Barrett's esophagus (BE). Endoscopic mucosal resection is required for any visible lesion in the setting of dysplasia for accurate histological diagnosis. The remainder of the epithelium may be treated with resection or ablative therapy, followed by adequate surveillance. Patients with nondysplastic Barrett's require further risk stratification before incorporation of ablative therapy for this population. The future will fortify the endoscopic role in Barrett's with validation trials for endoscopic assessment, further long-term results for each of the treatment modalities, potential risk stratification for patients with BE, and improved guidelines for surveillance after therapy.

Optimal management of Barrett's esophagus: pharmacologic, endoscopic, and surgical interventions

Esophageal adenocarcinoma and its precursor, Barrett’s esophagus, are rapidly rising in incidence. This review serves to highlight the role of pharmacologic, endoscopic, and surgical intervention in the management of Barrett’s esophagus, which requires acid suppression and endoscopic assessment. Treatment with a proton pump inhibitor may decrease acid exposure and delay the progression to dysplasia. Patients who require aspirin for cardioprotection or other indications may also benefit in terms of a protective effect against the development of esophageal cancer. However, without other indications, aspirin is not indicated solely to prevent cancer. A careful endoscopic examination should include assessment of any visible lesions in a Barrett’s segment. An expert gastrointestinal pathologist should confirm neoplasia in the setting of Barrett’s esophagus. For those patients with high-grade dysplasia or intramucosal carcinoma, careful consideration of endoscopic therapy or surgical therapy must be given. All visible lesions in the setting of dysplasia should be targeted with focal endoscopic mucosal resection for both accurate histopathologic diagnosis and treatment. The remainder of the Barrett’s epithelium should be eradicated to address all synchronous and metachronous lesions. This may be done by tissue acquiring or nontissue acquiring means. Radiofrequency ablation has a positive benefit-risk profile for flat Barrett’s esophagus. At this time, endoscopic therapy is not indicated for nondysplastic Barrett’s esophagus. Esophagectomy is still reserved for selected cases with evidence of lymph node metastasis, unsuccessful endoscopic therapy, or with high-risk features of high-grade dysplasia or intramucosal carcinoma.

Efficacy and safety of EMR to completely remove Barrett's esophagus: experience in 41 patients

BACKGROUND

EMR is typically used to remove focal abnormalities of the esophageal mucosa. However, larger areas of Barrett's esophagus (BE) can be resected through side-by-side resections.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy and safety of EMR to completely remove BE.

DESIGN

Retrospective, single-center study.

SETTING

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

PATIENTS

Between January 2006 and December 2010, 46 patients underwent EMR for complete removal of BE. Three were lost to follow-up, one died of unrelated causes before completion, and one was still undergoing EMR treatment at the conclusion of the study. The remaining 41 patients were included for analysis. The worst histologic grade was low-grade dysplasia in 4 patients, high-grade dysplasia without cancer in 26 patients, and high-grade dysplasia with superficial adenocarcinoma in 11 patients. BE was circumferential in 65.9% of cases, and the mean (± SD) length was 3.3 ± 2.3 cm.

INTERVENTION

EMR was performed by using a cap (n = 4), a multiband ligator device (n = 31), or both (n = 6), with a mean (± SD) of 2.4 ± 1.2 sessions per patient.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Remission rates and complications.

RESULTS

Remission of high-grade dysplasia and cancer, all dysplasia, and all BE was achieved in 94.6%, 85.4%, and 78.0%, respectively. Complications included minor bleeding (31.7%), perforations (4.9%), and strictures (43.9%). All complications were managed conservatively.

LIMITATIONS

Retrospective design.

CONCLUSION

Complete removal of BE with EMR is effective but associated with a high complication rate, which is mainly related to stricture formation. This needs to be considered when choosing between available treatment modalities.

Endoscopic resection techniques and ablative therapies for Barrett’s neoplasia

Esophageal adenocarcinoma is the most rapidly increasing cancer in western countries. High-grade dysplasia (HGD) arising from Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is the most important risk factor for its development, and when it is present the reported incidence is up to 10% per patient-year. Adenocarcinoma in the setting of BE develops through a well known histological sequence, from non-dysplastic Barrett’s to low grade dysplasia and then HGD and cancer. Endoscopic surveillance programs have been established to detect the presence of neoplasia at a potentially curative stage. Newly developed endoscopic treatments have dramatically changed the therapeutic approach of BE. When neoplasia is confined to the mucosal layer the risk for developing lymph node metastasis is negligible and can be successfully eradicated by an endoscopic approach, offering a curative intention treatment with minimal invasiveness. Endoscopic therapies include resection techniques, also known as tissue-acquiring modalities, and ablation therapies or non-tissue acquiring modalities. The aim of endoscopic treatment is to eradicate the whole Barrett’s segment, since the risk of developing synchronous and metachronous lesions due to the persistence of molecular aberrations in the residual epithelium is well established.

Preemptive dilatation gives good outcome to early esophageal stricture after circumferential endoscopic submucosal dissection

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is gaining popularity over endoscopic mucosal resection for treatment of superficial upper gastrointestinal cancers. It allows a more controlled en-bloc resection of intramucosal neoplasia allowing larger lesion in both stomach and esophagus to be resected. Lower local recurrence rate can be achieved. This is particularly important in the esophagus, as luminal stricture and deep fibrosis often hinder the possibility of repeat endoscopic resection of recurrences. The exact incidence of benign luminal strictures after the ESD of the esophagus lesion is unknown, but the risk is related to the circumferential extent of the lesion being resected, which is expected to develop in cases with post-ESD ulcer more than two-thirds of the circumference. We report 2 patients with early stenosis after circumferential ESD. We have also showed that scheduled early regular endoscopic balloon dilatation was effective in controlling and preventing post-ESD stricture. In conclusion, we suggest early follow-up esophagogastroduodenoscopy to be done for patients with circumferential ESD to determine the need of preemptive dilatation.

[Endoscopic treatments for Barrett oesophagus]

High grade dysplasia and superficial carcinomas (with no extension under muscularis mucosae) can be indications for endoscopic treatments of Barrett oesophagus. When an endoscopic treatment is considered, a gastroscopy with use of acetic acid and planimetry and the confirmation of high-grade dysplasia by a new examination after PPI treatment and a pathologic second confirmation is needed. For high-grade dysplasia in focalised and visible lesions, an endoscopic resection by EMR or ESD should be proposed: it allows a more accurate pathologic examination and can be an effective curative treatment. After endoscopic resection of visible high grade dysplasia lesions, a complete eradication of Barrett oesophagus may be proposed to prevent dysplasia recurrence. In case of extensive high-grade dysplasia or to eradicate Barrett oesophagus residual lesions, radiofrequency ablation is the preferred endoscopic technique. Photodynamic therapy may also be proposed for more invasive lesions or after other endoscopic techniques with mucosal scars. Surgical oesophagus resection is still recommended for diffuse high-grade dysplasia in young patients or in case of pathologic pejorative criteria in endoscopic resection specimen. In case of Low-grade dysplasia, either endoscopic surveillance should be performed every six or 12 months or radiofrequency ablation could be proposed in the yield of prospective studies.

Esophagus: Endoscopic therapy for flat, dysplastic Barrett esophagus

Both stepwise radical endoscopic resection (SRER) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) are effective endoscopic strategies for the treatment of patients with flat, dysplastic Barrett esophagus. Findings from a randomized, controlled trial indicate that the two treatments have similar efficacy, but considerably more complications are associated with SRER compared with RFA.

Barrett's esophagus

Barrett's esophagus is an acquired metaplastic abnormality in which the normal stratified squamous epithelium lining of the esophagus is replaced by an intestinal-like columnar epithelium. While in itself a benign and asymptomatic disorder, the clinical importance of this relatively common condition relates to its role as a precursor lesion to esophageal adenocarcinoma, the incidence of which has dramatically increased in Western populations in recent years. Although known to arise as a consequence of chronic gastroesophageal reflux, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying development Barrett's esophagus and its progression to cancer remain unclear.

Current state of endoscopic therapies in Barrett's esophagus and esophageal cancer

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a premalignant condition that predisposes patients to esophageal adenocarcinoma. This risk increases with increasing dysplasia, especially in patients with BE and high-grade dysplasia. Radical esophagectomy had long been the only option for these patients; however, it has been associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Endoscopic therapies have been increasingly used as an alternative to radical esophagectomy given the minimally invasive nature and tolerability of the procedure relative to surgery. Currently, the most widely used endoscopic therapies include endoscopic mucosal resection, photodynamic therapy, CryoSpray ablation, and radiofrequency ablation. Retrospective and prospective studies on the use of each of these modalities in patients with nondysplastic BE, dysplastic BE, and early esophageal cancer have demonstrated their effectiveness in eradication of dysplasia with or without reversion of Barrett's epithelium to normal squamous epithelium of the esophagus. These modalities are well tolerated, safe, and have few side effects. Ultimately, more research is needed regarding their ability to fully displace surgical intervention as the gold standard, although at this point their role in poor operative candidates or patients seeking conservative approaches remains promising.

Esophageal preservation in five male patients after endoscopic inner-layer circumferential resection in the setting of superficial cancer: a regenerative medicine approach with a biologic scaffold

As a result of injury caused by chronic gastroesophageal reflux, Barrett's esophagus with high-grade dysplasia and esophageal adenocarcinoma are rapidly increasing problems in the United States. The current standard of care involves esophagectomy, a procedure associated with a high morbidity, a negative impact on long term quality of life, and a mortality rate of 1-6 percent. An entirely endoscopic technique for circumferential, long segment en bloc removal of the mucosa and submucosa with subsequent placement of a biologic scaffold material that promotes a constructive remodeling response and minimizes stricture is described herein. The results of this approach are reported for five patients with 4-24-month follow-up. Restoration of normal mature, K4+/K14+, squamous epithelium, and return to a normal diet without significant dysphagia is reported for all patients. Two of five patients show a small focus of recurrent Barrett's esophagus at the gastroesophageal junction, but the entire length and circumference of the reconstituted esophageal mucosa remains free of disease. This experience provides evidence that a regenerative medicine approach may, for the first time, enable aggressive endoscopic resection of early stage neoplasia without the need for esophagectomy and its associated complications.

[Radiofrequency in the treatment of Barrett's esophagus]

Currently, there is ample evidence that endoscopic treatment of Barrett's esophagus (BE) and related neoplasms is safe and effective, suggesting that this approach should be preferred to esophagectomy in selected patients. Among new endoscopic tools, radiofrequency ablation is the latest to be developed. Due to its simplicity, effectiveness and safety, this technique may change the management of patients with BE since it appears to be effective not only in removing dysplasia but also in completely eradicating all Barrett's mucosa in most treated patients.

Endotherapy for Barrett's esophagus: Which, how, when, and who?

Recent developments in endoscopic therapeutic options for Barrett's esophagus (BE) early neoplasia have resulted in a dramatic paradigm shift in its clinical management. With multiple endoscopic choices available, it is important to discern subtle differences between these approaches based on the available current data and known limitations of each modality. The goals of endoscopic therapy of Barrett's neoplasia are to preserve the esophagus while ablating or removing the entire BE segment. This article reviews the currently available BE endoscopic treatments with emphasis on appropriate selection of patients, indications and timing of use, and clinical management considerations.

Endoscopic resection

Endoscopic resection (ER) has become the most important endoscopic treatment method of early cancers of the upper GI tract. ER serves as a therapeutic but also as a diagnostic tool by providing a specimen for histologic assessment. In expert hands ER is easy to performe and has a very low complication rate. Long-term results in early esophageal and gastric cancer are excellent.