Is Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) necessary in the pre-therapeutic assessment of Barrett's esophagus with early neoplasia?

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is considered the most accurate tool for the TNM staging of esophageal cancer, but its role in early Barrett's neoplasia is still debatable. The aim was to evaluate the utility of EUS in Barrett's patients prior to therapy. Retrospective review of 109 patients enrolled in a treatment protocol for Barrett's neoplasia in our institution. EUS assessment was classified as suspicious for invasion in 19 patients; 84% of them had no evidence of invasion in final pathology. The assessment of depth of invasion of Barrett's neoplasia based solely on EUS findings leads to overstaging in most patients.

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.