The Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society has developed endoscopic submucosal dissection/endoscopic mucosal resection guidelines. These guidelines present recommendations in response to 18 clinical questions concerning the preoperative diagnosis, indications, resection methods, curability assessment, and surveillance of patients undergoing endoscopic resection for esophageal cancers based on a systematic review of the scientific literature.

Predicting invasion depth of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is crucial in determining the precise indication for endoscopic resection because the rate of lymph node metastasis increases in proportion to the invasion depth of the carcinoma. Previous studies have shown a close relationship between microvascular patterns observed by Narrow Band Imaging magnifying endoscopy and invasion depth of the superficial carcinoma. Thus, the Japan Esophageal Society (JES) developed a simplified magnifying endoscopic classification for estimating invasion depth of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinomas. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the diagnostic values of type B vessels in the pretreatment estimation of invasion depth of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinomas utilizing JES classification, the criteria of which are based on the degree of irregularity in the microvascular morphology. Type A microvessels corresponded to noncancerous lesions and lack severe irregularity; type B, to cancerous lesions, and exhibit severe irregularity. Type B vessels were subclassified into B1, B2, and B3, diagnostic criteria for T1a-EP or T1a-LPM, T1a-MM or T1b-SM1, and T1b-SM2 tumors, respectively. We enrolled 211 patients with superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The overall accuracy of type B microvessels in estimating tumor invasion depth was 90.5 %. We propose that the newly developed JES magnifying endoscopic classification is useful in estimating the invasion depth of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background. Endoscopic findings have traditionally been evaluated on the basis of differences in color and changes in surface structure. We examined whether microvascular patterns on magnifying endoscopy could be used to diagnose benign and malignant superficial esophageal lesions and to estimate the depth of tumor invasion. Methods. Magnifying endoscopic findings were compared with histopathological features for 405 superficial lesions arising in the esophagus, including 191 esophageal cancers. Results. Microvascular patterns on magnifying endoscopy were classified into 4 types. Type 1 was characterized by thin, linear capillaries in the subepithelial papilla and was generally seen in normal mucosa. Type 2 was characterized by distended, dilated vessels, and the shape of capillaries in the subepithelial papilla was preserved. Type 2 was generally seen in inflammatory lesions. Type 3 was characterized by spiral vessels with an irregular caliber and crushed vessels with red spots, and the arrangement of the vessels was irregular. Type 3 was generally seen in m1 or m2 cancers. Type 4 was characterized by multilayered, irregularly branched, reticular vessels with an irregular caliber. Type 4 was generally seen in cancers with m3 or deeper invasion. Avascular areas (AVAs) and stretched type 4 vessels were seen in cancers with downward growth. The size of AVAs was closely related to the depth of tumor invasion. Conclusions. Histopathological features of superficial esophageal cancers can be diagnosed by evaluating microvascular patterns on magnifying endoscopy. The size of AVAs and associated type 4 vessels can be used to assess the extent and depth of tumor invasion.

EMR for ESCC that invades the muscularis mucosa has curative potential as a minimally invasive treatment option.

In Japan, more than 90% of oesophageal malignancies are squamous cell carcinomas, and superficial and early carcinomas now account for about 40% and 20%, respectively, of all oesophageal carcinomas. Definition of early carcinoma has changed on the basis of new data. As of 2007, early carcinoma is defined as intramucosal carcinoma with or without metastasis. In the subclassification based on depth of cancer invasion, m1 and m2 carcinomas have no metastasis and are considered curable by endoscopic mucosal resection alone, whereas < 10% of m3 carcinomas and about 20% of sm1 carcinomas have lymph node metastasis. The relationship between various pathological findings and the incidence of lymph node metastasis has been reviewed. High-grade squamous dysplasia (squamous cell carcinoma in situ in Japan) requires surgical or endoscopic removal. Very minute carcinomas have recently been detected by magnifying endoscopy and/or narrowband imaging. Endocytoscopy could replace biopsy histopathological examination for diagnosis of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and endocytoscopic diagnosis and endoscopic therapy may be performed simultaneously. As a result of advances in the development of endoscopes, pathologists are now expected to diagnose very minute lesions, < 1 mm in size, in the oesophagus.