Endoscopic aspiration mucosectomy: a possibility for curative therapy of early gastric cancer

En-bloc resection of multiple type 1 gastric carcinoid tumors by endoscopic multi-band mucosectomy

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Gastric carcinoid tumors are rare but increasing in incidence. Current recommendations suggest endoscopic resection for type I carcinoids found in the stomach, however reports of incomplete resection have led to difficulty planning future management. Our purpose was to describe the application of the endoscopic multi-band mucosectomy (MBM) device to achieve en-bloc resection of multiple gastric carcinoid tumors.

METHODS

Over a 30-month period (June 2006-January 2009) eight patients attending for endoscopic assessment of gastric carcinoid tumors were identified at two tertiary referral centers. Patients underwent endoscopic resection of the carcinoids with an MBM device. En-bloc specimens underwent histological evaluation for identification and tumor resection margins. Patients with type I carcinoids were subsequently enrolled in an endoscopic follow-up program.

RESULTS

A total of 34 gastric carcinoid tumors were removed from eight patients. On histological analyses seven out of eight patients were diagnosed with type I tumors. In the remaining patient a single, sporadic (type III) gastric carcinoid was diagnosed. No complications of severe bleeding or perforation occurred. All specimens were shown to have clear deep and peripheral histological resection margins.

CONCLUSION

Complete 'en-bloc' endoscopic resection of multiple 'type I' gastric carcinoid tumors can be safely and easily performed with an MBM technique.

The role of surgery after incomplete endoscopic mucosal resection for early gastric cancer

PURPOSE

Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is a relatively new treatment option for early gastric cancer (EGC). However, cases of incomplete EMR resulting in a positive lateral margin or submucosal invasion (positive vertical margin) have been reported. We conducted this study to evaluate the role of surgery after incomplete EMR for EGC.

METHODS

We analyzed 19 patients who underwent gastrectomy as a result of an incomplete EMR. The patients were divided into three groups according to the type of incomplete EMR: a positive lateral margin (LM) group (n = 9), a positive vertical margin (VM) group (n = 4), and a positive lateral and vertical margin (LM + VM) group (n = 6).

RESULTS

The positive residual tumor rate and the positive lymph node rate were 44.4% (4/9) and 0% (0/9) in the LM group, 50.0% (2/4) and 25.0% (1/4) in the VM group, and 83.3% (5/6) and 16.7% (1/6), LM + VM group, respectively. Curative resection was performed in all patients and there was no recurrence in 30.8 months of follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Radical surgery is recommended for patients with a positive lateral resection margin or submucosal invasion, or both, after EMR for EGC, because of the possibility of residual tumor or lymph node metastasis.