Clinical Outcomes of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Early Gastric Cancer in Different Indications

Gastric cancer still threatens the health of people, which is the fifth most common cancer and the fourth leading cancer-related death worldwide. The stage of the disease is critical for the 5-year survival of gastric cancer; the 5-year survival rates could reach 90% for gastric cancer detected at early stages. At present, endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is the main treatment for early gastric cancer. Referring to the treatment guideline of the Japan Gastric Cancer Association, the indications for ESD mainly include absolute indications, expanded indications, and relative indications. Many studies have reported favourable long-term outcomes after undergoing ESD, and compared with surgery, ESD preserves the entire stomach and improves the quality of life of patients. However, it has also been reported that the recurrence rate of gastric cancer after ESD is high, so regular follow-up and careful examination are needed, even for patients with early gastric cancer who met absolute indications.