Colorectal polypectomy and endoscopic mucosal resection: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Guideline - Update 2024.

1: ESGE recommends cold snare polypectomy (CSP), to include a clear margin of normal tissue (1-2 mm) surrounding the polyp, for the removal of diminutive polyps (≤ 5 mm).Strong recommendation, high quality of evidence. 2: ESGE recommends against the use of cold biopsy forceps excision because of its high rate of incomplete resection.Strong recommendation, moderate quality of evidence. 3: ESGE recommends CSP, to include a clear margin of normal tissue (1-2 mm) surrounding the polyp, for the removal of small polyps (6-9 mm).Strong recommendation, high quality of evidence. 4: ESGE recommends hot snare polypectomy for the removal of nonpedunculated adenomatous polyps of 10-19 mm in size.Strong recommendation, high quality of evidence. 5: ESGE recommends conventional (diathermy-based) endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) for large (≥ 20 mm) nonpedunculated adenomatous polyps (LNPCPs).Strong recommendation, high quality of evidence. 6: ESGE suggests that underwater EMR can be considered an alternative to conventional hot EMR for the treatment of adenomatous LNPCPs.Weak recommendation, moderate quality of evidence. 7: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) may also be suggested as an alternative for removal of LNPCPs of ≥ 20 mm in selected cases and in high-volume centers.Weak recommendation, low quality evidence. 8: ESGE recommends that, after piecemeal EMR of LNPCPs by hot snare, the resection margins should be treated by thermal ablation using snare-tip soft coagulation to prevent adenoma recurrence.Strong recommendation, high quality of evidence. 9: ESGE recommends (piecemeal) cold snare polypectomy or cold EMR for SSLs of all sizes without suspected dysplasia.Strong recommendation, moderate quality of evidence. 10: ESGE recommends prophylactic endoscopic clip closure of the mucosal defect after EMR of LNPCPs in the right colon to reduce to reduce the risk of delayed bleeding.Strong recommendation, high quality of evidence. 11: ESGE recommends that en bloc resection techniques, such as en bloc EMR, ESD, endoscopic intermuscular dissection, endoscopic full-thickness resection, or surgery should be the techniques of choice in cases with suspected superficial invasive carcinoma, which otherwise cannot be removed en bloc by standard polypectomy or EMR.Strong recommendation, moderate quality of evidence.

Curative criteria for endoscopic treatment of gastric cancer.

Endoscopic treatment, particularly endoscopic submucosal dissection, has become the primary treatment for early gastric cancer. A comprehensive optical assessment, including white light endoscopy, image-enhanced endoscopy, and magnification, are the cornerstones for clinical staging and determining the resectability of lesions. This paper discusses factors that influence the indication for endoscopic resection and the likelihood of achieving a curative resection. Our review stresses the critical need for interpreting the histopathological report in accordance with clinical guidelines and the imperative of tailoring decisions based on the patients' and lesions' characteristics and preferences. Moreover, we offer guidance on managing complex scenarios, such as those involving non-curative resection. Finally, we identify future research avenues, including the role of artificial intelligence in estimating the depth of invasion and the urgent need to refine predictive scores for lymph node metastasis and metachronous lesions.

Management of high risk T1 gastric adenocarcinoma following endoscopic resection.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection has revolutionized the treatment of early gastric cancer. However, cases that do not meet the curability criteria have a higher risk of lymph node metastasis and salvage surgery is still considered the next treatment approach to increase the chance of cure. Nevertheless, not all high-risk resections entail the same level of risk, emphasizing the utmost importance of individualized stratification for further treatment. In this review, we aim to examine the current evidence concerning the management following a high-risk non-curative resection, highlighting the existing approaches, while also presenting upcoming strategies that attempt to improve patient outcomes, minimize adverse events, and provide a tailored management.

Western outcomes of circumferential endoscopic submucosal dissection for early esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Circumferential endoscopic submucosal dissection (cESD) in the esophagus has been reported to be feasible in small Eastern case series. We assessed the outcomes of cESD in the treatment of early esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in Western countries. METHODS: We conducted an international study at 25 referral centers in Europe and Australia using prospective databases. We included all patients with ESCC treated with cESD before November 2022. Our main outcomes were curative resection according to European guidelines and adverse events. RESULTS: A total of 171 cESDs were performed on 165 patients. En bloc and R0 resections rates were 98.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 95.0-99.4) and 69.6% (95% CI, 62.3-76.0), respectively. Curative resection was achieved in 49.1% (95% CI, 41.7-56.6) of the lesions. The most common reason for noncurative resection was deep submucosal invasion (21.6%). The risk of stricture requiring 6 or more dilations or additional techniques (incisional therapy/stent) was high (71%), despite the use of prophylactic measures in 93% of the procedures. The rates of intraprocedural perforation, delayed bleeding, and adverse cardiorespiratory events were 4.1%, 0.6%, and 4.7%, respectively. Two patients died (1.2%) of a cESD-related adverse event. Overall and disease-free survival rates at 2 years were 91% and 79%. CONCLUSIONS: In Western referral centers, cESD for ESCC is curative in approximately half of the lesions. It can be considered a feasible treatment in selected patients. Our results suggest the need to improve patient selection and to develop more effective therapies to prevent esophageal strictures.

Combined gastric and colorectal cancer endoscopic screening may be cost-effective in Europe with the implementation of artificial intelligence: an economic evaluation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic screening for gastric cancer (GC) is not recommended in low-intermediate incidence countries. Artificial intelligence (AI) has high accuracy in GC detection and might increase the cost-effectiveness of screening strategies. We aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of AI for GC detection in settings with different GC incidence and different accuracies of AI systems. METHODS: Cost-effectiveness analysis (using Markov model) comparing different screening strategies (no screening versus single esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) at 50 years versus stand-alone EGD every 5/10 years versus combined EGD and screening colonoscopy once or twice per decade in Netherlands, Italy and Portugal) with variable AI accuracy settings. The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of the different strategies versus no screening. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Without AI, one single EGD at 50 years (Netherlands, Italy, Portugal), EGD combined with screening colonoscopy once per decade (Italy and Portugal) and EGD combined with screening colonoscopy twice per decade (Portugal) are cost-effective when compared with no screening. If AI increases the accuracy of EGD by at least 1% in comparison to the accuracy of white-light endoscopy accuracy (89%), combined screening twice per decade also becomes cost-effective in Italy. If AI accuracy reaches at least 96%, combined screening once per decade is also cost-effective in the Netherlands. DISCUSSION: In European countries, AI-assisted EGD may improve the cost-effectiveness of GC screening with combined EGD and screening colonoscopy. The actual effect of AI on cost-effectiveness may vary dependent on the accuracy and costs of the AI system.

Development and validation of the PERCEPT-PREVENT tool to determine risk perception and attitudes towards digestive cancer screening.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is recommended worldwide, while gastric cancer (GC) screening may also be defendable in some settings. However, adherence rates and factors influencing participation are not well characterized. This study aimed to validate a tool to determine risk perception of CRC and GC and also of endoscopy-related complications. METHODS: A questionnaire in CRC risk perception based on the Health Belief Model was used. Forward/backward translation (English-Portuguese) and cultural adaptation were performed. After revision by a panel of experts, the questionnaire was adapted to target GC risk perception and perceptions towards endoscopy-related complications. The final version of the questionnaire (PERCEPT-PREVENT tool) was applied to 44 individuals, through telephonic interview, at enrolment and at intervals ≤3 weeks. Test-retest reliability and agreement were assessed. RESULTS: Almost perfect reliability between test and retest was obtained for CRC symptom knowledge score (ICC = 0.88), risk factor knowledge score (ICC = 0.89), and perceived severity (ICC = 0.84). At least moderate agreement between test and retest was obtained for GC symptom knowledge score (ICC = 0.94), risk factor knowledge score (ICC = 0.92), and perceived severity (ICC = 0.58). Test-retest reliability was assessed for barrier domains [faecal occult blood test ICC = 0.63; colonoscopy ICC = 0.79; upper GI endoscopy (UGIE) ICC = 0.83]. A total of 91% and 98% of participants gave the same answer in the test and retest for preferred method of CRC screening and intention to undergo UGIE for GC screening combined with a screening colonoscopy, respectively. DISCUSSION: PERCEPT-PREVENT is a valid and reliable tool for CRC and GC risk perception evaluation.

Diagnostic Performance of Deep Learning Models for Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia Detection in Narrow-band Images.

Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia (GIM) is one of the precancerous conditions in the gastric carcinogenesis cascade and its optical diagnosis during endoscopic screening is challenging even for seasoned endoscopists. Several solutions leveraging pre-trained deep neural networks (DNNs) have been recently proposed in order to assist human diagnosis. In this paper, we present a comparative study of these architectures in a new dataset containing GIM and non-GIM Narrow-band imaging still frames. We find that the surveyed DNNs perform remarkably well on average, but still measure sizeable inter-fold variability during cross-validation. An additional ad-hoc analysis suggests that these baseline architectures may not perform equally well at all scales when diagnosing GIM.Clinical relevance- Enhanching a clinician's ability to detect and localize intestinal metaplasia can be a crucial tool for gastric cancer management policies.

A rare case of an esophageal neuroendocrine carcinoma arising on an endoscopic resection scar / Un caso raro de esófago carcinoma neuroendocrino que surge en una endoscópica cicatriz de resección

Here we report a case of a 61-year-old woman who underwent en-bloc endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of a 10mm depressed lesion (Paris 0-IIc, Figure A) in the mid-esophagus. Histopathology showed a lesion with high-grade squamous dysplasia (R0). On follow-up endoscopy at 6 and 12 months the scar was regular, without signs of recurrence. Seven months after the last endoscopy, the patient presented with chest pain and dysphagia. Endoscopy showed an ulcero-vegetating tumor with 3cm at the same location of previous ESD (Figure B), and biopsies showed a poorly differentiated small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC). Subsequent computed tomography identified peri-tumor and hilar lymph nodes, and an extensive periceliac nodal conglomerate adherent to the liver (stage IV). This is, to our knowledge, the first case described of esophageal NEC arising on the endoscopic resection scar.(AU)

Gastric Cancer: A Practical Review on Management of Individuals with Hereditary or Familial Risk for Gastric Cancer.

Gastric adenocarcinoma is one of the most frequent and deadly cancers worldwide. However, its incidence is variable, being higher in eastern countries where screening the general population is recommended. On the other hand, in low to intermediate-risk countries, screening the general population may not be cost-effective, and therefore, it is necessary to be aware of high-risk populations that may benefit from adequate screening and surveillance. It is not always easy to identify these individuals, leading to a late diagnosis of gastric adenocarcinoma. In this review, the authors intend to summarize the data required to identify the population at risk of sporadic or familial gastric adenocarcinoma and the beginning of screening and its surveillance, with the final aim of increasing early detection of gastric adenocarcinoma and decreasing morbimortality. The authors highlight the importance to be aware of the several hereditary syndromes and MAPS recommendations and apply screen and surveillance protocols. The high-risk syndromes to gastric adenocarcinoma are gastric adenocarcinoma and proximal polyposis of the stomach, hereditary diffuse gastric cancer, and familial intestinal gastric cancer.

O adenocarcinoma gástrico é um dos cancros mais frequentes e mortais em todo o mundo. No entanto, a sua incidência é variável, sendo maior nos países orientais, onde o rastreio da população geral está recomendado. Por outro lado, nos países de risco baixo a intermediário, o rastreio da população geral pode não ser custo-efetivo e, portanto, é necessário conhecer quais são as populações de alto risco que podem beneficiar de rastreio e vigilância adequados. Porém, nem sempre é fácil identificar esses indivíduos levando a um diagnóstico tardio de adenocarcinoma gástrico. Nesta revisão, os autores pretendem resumir a informação necessária à identificação da população em risco de adenocarcinoma gástrico esporádico ou familiar e o início do rastreio e sua vigilância, com o objetivo final de otimizar a deteção precoce do adenocarcinoma gástrico e diminuir a morbimortalidade. Os autores salientam a importância de conhecer as diversas síndromes hereditárias e recomendações MAPS e aplicar protocolos de rastreio e vigilância. As síndromes de maior risco para adenocarcinoma gástrico são GAPPS, HDGC e FIGC.

Predicting residual neoplasia after a non-curative gastric ESD: validation and modification of the eCura system in the Western setting: the W-eCura score.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk factors for lymph node metastasis (LNM) after a non-curative (NC) gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and to validate and eventually refine the eCura scoring system in the Western setting. Also, to assess the rate and risk factors for parietal residual disease. DESIGN: Retrospective multicentre multinational study of prospectively collected registries from 19 Western centres. Patients who had been submitted to surgery or had at least one follow-up endoscopy were included. The eCura system was applied to assess its accuracy in the Western setting, and a modified version was created according to the results (W-eCura score). The discriminative capacities of the eCura and W-eCura scores to predict LNM were assessed and compared. RESULTS: A total of 314 NC gastric ESDs were analysed (72% high-risk resection (HRR); 28% local-risk resection). Among HRR patients submitted to surgery, 25% had parietal disease and 15% had LNM in the surgical specimen. The risk of LNM was significantly different across the eCura groups (areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC) of 0.900 (95% CI 0.852 to 0.949)). The AUC-ROC of the W-eCura for LNM (0.916, 95% CI 0.870 to 0.961; p=0.012) was significantly higher compared with the original eCura. Positive vertical margin, lymphatic invasion and younger age were associated with a higher risk of parietal residual lesion in the surgical specimen. CONCLUSION: The eCura scoring system may be applied in Western countries to stratify the risk of LNM after a gastric HRR. A new score is proposed that may further decrease the number of unnecessary surgeries.

Real-time assessment of H. pylori during the endoscopic assessment of individuals with gastric intestinal metaplasia: a possible way to reduce the burden of care.

OBJECTIVES: The management of individuals with gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) includes biopsies for its staging and to diagnose Helicobacter pylori (Hp ). Advanced-stage GIM can be estimated by endoscopy through EGGIM, and a new device permits the real-time assessment of ammonia for the identification of Hp infection. The aim of this study was to assess the simultaneous use of EGGIM and real-time assessment of ammonia to avoid biopsies and reduce the burden of care in clinical practice. METHODS: A multicentre study involving 101 consecutively enrolled patients [52% male; 65(18-85) years]. During endoscopy, gastric juice was aspirated and analysed; EGGIM was determined in real-time. Targeted biopsies were performed and histopathological assessment was used as gold standard. RESULTS: Advanced-stage GIM were detected in 14.9% of patients and Hp infection in 18.8%. EGGIM showed for advanced-stage GIM a sensitivity, specificity and NPV of 86.7%, 84.9% and 97.3%, whilst real-time assessment of ammonia, 83.3%, 78.2% and 95.4%, respectively. Gastric juice was insufficient in 5 (5.0%). Overall, 64 (67%) patients were correctly diagnosed by EGGIM and real-time assessment of ammonia. If the 47 (49%) patients negative to both assessments would have avoided biopsies, only 4 (4.2%) would have been missed: two with advanced-stage GIM and two with Hp infection. CONCLUSION: The combination of endoscopic assessment and real-time analysis of Hp allows the exclusion of advanced-stage GIM or Hp infection without the need of biopsies in a significant proportion of individuals. This may allow in specific situations to abstain from biopsies reducing the burden of care.

Anastomotic Leakages after Surgery for Gastroesophageal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Endoscopic versus Surgical Management.

Introduction: With the increase of esophageal and gastric cancer, surgery will be more often performed. Anastomotic leakage (AL) is one of the most feared postoperative complications of gastroesophageal surgery. It can be managed by conservative, endoscopic (such as endoscopic vacuum therapy and stenting), or surgical methods, but optimal treatment remains controversial. The aim of our meta-analysis was to compare (a) endoscopic and surgical interventions and (b) different endoscopic treatments for AL following gastroesophageal cancer surgery. Methods: Systematic review and meta-analysis, with search in three online databases for studies evaluating surgical and endoscopic treatments for AL following gastroesophageal cancer surgery. Results: A total of 32 studies comprising 1,080 patients were included. Compared with surgical intervention, endoscopic treatment presented similar clinical success, hospital length of stay, and intensive care unit length of stay, but lower in-hospital mortality (6.4% [95% CI: 3.8-9.6%] vs. 35.8% [95% CI: 23.9-48.5%]. Endoscopic vacuum therapy was associated with a lower rate of complications (OR 0.348 [95% CI: 0.127-0.954]), shorter ICU length of stay (mean difference -14.77 days [95% CI: -26.57 to -2.98]), and time until AL resolution (17.6 days [95% CI: 14.1-21.2] vs. 39.4 days [95% CI: 27.0-51.8]) when compared with stenting, but there were no significant differences in terms of clinical success, mortality, reinterventions, or hospital length of stay. Conclusions: Endoscopic treatment, in particular endoscopic vacuum therapy, seems safer and more effective when compared with surgery. However, more robust comparative studies are needed, especially for clarifying which is the best treatment in specific situations (according to patient and leak characteristics).

Introdução: Com o aumento da incidência de cancro esofágico e gástrico, a cirurgia será mais frequentemente realizada. As deiscências anastomóticas (DA) são uma das complicações pós-operatórias mais temidas da cirurgia gastroesofágica. Podem ser tratadas com métodos conservadores, endoscópicos (como terapêutica endoscópica por vácuo e colocação de próteses) ou cirúrgicos, mas a melhor abordagem ainda é controversa. O objetivo da nossa meta-análise foi a comparação a) entre intervenções endoscópicas e cirúrgicas e b) entre diferentes tratamentos endoscópicos para a DA após cirurgia oncológica gastroesofágica. Métodos: Revisão sistemática e meta-análise, com pesquisa em 3 bases de dados online de estudos que avaliassem tratamentos cirúrgicos e endoscópicos da DA após cirurgia oncológica gastroesofágica. Resultados: Um total de 32 estudos englobando 1,080 pacientes foram incluídos. Comparativamente à intervenção cirúrgica, o tratamento endoscópico apresentou sucesso clínico, duração do internamento hospitalar e do internamento na unidade de cuidados intensivos semelhantes, mas menor mortalidade intra-hospitalar (6.4% [95% CI: 3.8­9.6%] vs. 35.8% [95% CI: 23.9­48.5%]). A terapêutica endoscópica por vácuo associou-se a menor taxa de complicações (OR 0.348 [95% CI: 0.127­0.954]), menor duração do internamento na UCI (diferença média −14.77 dias [95% CI: −26.57 to −2.98]) e do tempo até resolução da DA (17.6 dias [95% CI: 14.1­21.2] vs. 39.4 dias [95% CI: 27.0­51.8]) quando comparada com as próteses endoscópicas, mas não houve diferenças significativas em termos de sucesso clínico, mortalidade, reintervenções ou duração do internamento hospitalar. Conclusões: O tratamento endoscópico, em particular a terapêutica endoscópica por vácuo parece ser mais segura e efetiva em comparação com a cirurgia. Porém, estudos comparativos mais robustos são necessários, especialmente para clarificar qual o melhor tratamento em situações específicas (consoante as caraterísticas do paciente e da deiscência).

Endoscopic Resection of Early Gastric Cancer and Pre-Malignant Gastric Lesions.

Early gastric cancer comprises gastric malignancies that are confined to the mucosa or submucosa, irrespective of lymph node metastasis. Endoscopic resection is currently pivotal for the management of such early lesions, and it is the recommended treatment for tumors presenting a very low risk of lymph node metastasis. In general, these lesions consist of two groups of differentiated mucosal adenocarcinomas: non-ulcerated lesions (regardless of their size) and small ulcerated lesions. Endoscopic submucosal dissection is the technique of choice in most cases. This procedure has high rates of complete histological resection while maintaining gastric anatomy and its functions, resulting in fewer adverse events than surgery and having a lesser impact on patient-reported quality of life. Nonetheless, approximately 20% of resected lesions do not fulfill curative criteria and demand further treatment, highlighting the importance of patient selection. Additionally, the preservation of the stomach results in a moderate risk of metachronous lesions, which underlines the need for surveillance. We review the current evidence regarding the endoscopic treatment of early gastric cancer, including the short-and long-term results and management after resection.

Metachronous lesions after gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection: first assessment of the FAMISH prediction score.

BACKGROUND: Surveillance after gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is recommended for all patients owing to the persistent risk of metachronous gastric lesions (MGLs). We developed and validated a prediction score to estimate MGL risk after ESD for early neoplastic gastric lesions, to define an individualized and cost-saving approach. METHODS: Clinical predictors and a risk score were derived from meta-analysis data. A retrospective, single-center, cohort study including patients with ≥ 3 years of standardized surveillance after ESD was conducted for score validation. Predictive accuracy of the score by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was assessed and cumulative probabilities of MGL were estimated. RESULTS: The risk score (0-9 points) included six clinical predictors (scored 0-3): positive family history of gastric cancer, older age, male sex, corpus intestinal metaplasia, synchronous gastric lesions, and persistent Helicobacter pylori infection (FAMISH). The study population included 263 patients. The MGL rate was 16 %. The score diagnostic accuracy for predicting MGL at 3 years' follow-up, measured by the AUC, was 0.704 (95 %CI 0.603-0.806). At 3 years and a cutoff < 2, the score achieved maximal sensitivity and negative predictive value; 15 % of patients could be assigned to a low-risk group, in which the progression to MGL was significantly lower than for the high-risk group (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: The FAMISH score might be a useful tool to accurately identify patients with low-to-intermediate risk for MGL at 3 years of follow-up who could have surveillance intervals extended to reduce the burden of care.

Pharmacological Treatment of Functional Dyspepsia: An Old Story Revisited or a New Story to Be Told? A Clinical Review.

Dyspepsia incorporates a set of symptoms originating from the gastroduodenal region, frequently encountered in the adult population in the Western world. Most patients with symptoms compatible with dyspepsia eventually end up, in the absence of a potential organic cause, being diagnosed with functional dyspepsia. Many have been the new insights in the pathophysiology behind functional dyspeptic symptoms, namely, hypersensitivity to acid, duodenal eosinophilia, and altered gastric emptying, among others. Since these discoveries, new therapies have been proposed. Even so, an established mechanism for functional dyspepsia is not yet a reality, which makes its treatment a clinical challenge. In this paper, we review some of the possible approaches to treatment, both well established and some new therapeutic targets. Recommendations about dose and time of use are also made.

A dispepsia engloba um conjunto de sintomas provenientes do trato gastroduodenal, frequentes na população adulta ocidental. A maioria dos doentes com sintomas compatíveis com dispepsia, acaba eventualmente, na ausência de causa orgânica, por ser diagnosticado com dispepsia funcional. Novos conhecimentos sobre a fisiopatologia responsável pelos sintomas de dispepsia têm sido adquiridos, nomeadamente a hipersensibilidade ao ácido, eosinofilia duodenal e as alterações do esvaziamento gástrico, entre outros. Estas novas descobertas vieram proporcionar novos possíveis alvos terapêuticos. Ainda assim, um mecanismo exato ainda não é conhecido, o que torna o tratamento da dispepsia funcional tantas vezes um desafio clínico. Neste trabalho, algumas abordagens das possíveis terapêuticas são revisitadas, tanto aquelas que já são uma prática usual, bem como novos alvos terapêuticos. Recomendações sobre dose e duração do tratamento são também elaboradas.