Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) in Gastric Cancer: Current Applications and Future Perspectives.

Abstract

Gastric cancer remains the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Advanced disease is associated with a poor prognosis, emphasizing the critical importance of early diagnosis through endoscopy. In addition to prognosis, disease extent also plays a pivotal role in guiding management strategies. Therefore, accurate locoregional staging (T and N staging) is vital for optimal prognostic and therapeutic planning. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has long been an essential tool in this regard, with computed tomography (CT) and, more recently, positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) serving as alternative imaging modalities. EUS is particularly valuable in the assessment of early gastric cancer, defined as tumor invasion confined to the mucosa or submucosa. These tumors are increasingly managed by endoscopic resection techniques offering improved post-treatment quality of life. EUS has also recently been utilized in the restaging process after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, aiding in the evaluation of tumor resectability and prognosis. Its performance may be further enhanced through the application of emerging techniques such as contrast-enhanced endosonography, EUS elastography, and artificial intelligence systems. In advanced, unresectable disease, complications such as gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) severely impact patient quality of life. In this setting, EUS-guided gastroenterostomy (EUS-GE) offers a less invasive alternative to surgical gastrojejunostomy. This review summarizes and critically analyzes the role of EUS in the context of gastric cancer, highlighting its applications across different stages of the disease and evaluating its performance relative to other diagnostic modalities.