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Since the indications for endoscopic submucosal dissection have been expanded to include undifferentiated-type early gastric cancers, improvements in preoperative diagnostic ability have been an area of research. There are also concerns about the impact on the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection. Based on our previous studies, in undifferentiated-type early gastric cancers, magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging is useful for delineating the demarcation regardless of the tumor size. Additionally, inflammatory cell infiltration appears to be a cause of misdiagnosis, suggesting that the resolution of inflammation could contribute to the accurate diagnosis of demarcations. As such, the accuracy of demarcation in eradicated and uninfected cases is higher than that in non-eradicated cases. The common features of the endoscopic findings were discoloration under white-light imaging and a predominance of sites in the lower and middle regions. The uninfected group was characterized by smaller tumor size, flat type, more extended intervening parts in magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging, and pure signet ring cell carcinoma. In contrast, the eradication and non-eradication groups were characterized by larger tumor size, depressed type, and wavy microvessels in magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging. In this comprehensive review, as described above, we discuss the diagnosis of demarcation of undifferentiated-type early gastric cancers, undifferentiated-type early gastric cancers that developed following H. pylori eradication, and H. pylori-uninfected undifferentiated-type early gastric cancers, with a focus on studies with self-examination and endoscopic findings and describe the future direction.

Although magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging is the standard diagnostic test for gastric cancer, diagnosing gastric cancer using this technology requires considerable skill. Artificial intelligence has superior image recognition, and its usefulness in endoscopic image diagnosis has been reported in many cases. The diagnostic performance (accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity) of artificial intelligence using magnifying endoscopy with narrow band still images and videos for gastric cancer was higher than that of expert endoscopists, suggesting the usefulness of artificial intelligence in diagnosing gastric cancer. Histological diagnosis of gastric cancer using artificial intelligence is also promising. However, previous studies on the use of artificial intelligence to diagnose gastric cancer were small-scale; thus, large-scale studies are necessary to examine whether a high diagnostic performance can be achieved. In addition, the diagnosis of gastric cancer using artificial intelligence has not yet become widespread in clinical practice, and further research is necessary. Therefore, in the future, artificial intelligence must be further developed as an instrument, and its diagnostic performance is expected to improve with the accumulation of numerous cases nationwide.

Abstract Background The effect of Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) eradication therapy on mixed-histological-type gastric cancer remains unclear. This study aimed to clarify the effect of H. pylori eradication therapy on mixed-histological-type early gastric cancer using endoscopic and histological findings. Methods This single-center, retrospective study included patients with mixed-histological-type gastric cancer who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection at the Cancer Institute Hospital. We compared detailed magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging findings between eradicated and non-eradicated groups of patients with differentiated-type- and undifferentiated-type-predominant cancers. Subsequently, we performed histological evaluations of the non-cancerous epithelium covering differentiated-type components. Results A total of 124 patients with mixed-type early gastric cancer were enrolled (eradicated group: 62 differentiated-type-predominant cancer patients and 8 undifferentiated-type-predominant cancer patients; non-eradication group: 40 differentiated-type-predominant cancer patients and 14 undifferentiated-type-predominant cancer patients). Regarding differentiated-type-predominant cancer, differentiated-type findings were detected in all patients in eradicated and non-eradicated groups. The difference in the detection rate of undifferentiated-type findings between both groups was not significant in differentiated-type-predominant cancer patients. In differentiated-type-predominant cancers, the percentage of non-cancerous epithelium covering differentiated-type components was higher in the eradicated group than in the non-eradicated group (median: 60% vs. 40%, p

Abstract Objectives Gastric cancer can be diagnosed even in patients long after Helicobacter pylori eradication. Most cases involve intramucosal lesions; however, some are invasive and require surgery. To clarify appropriate long‐term surveillance methods, this study compared invasive gastric cancer diagnosed ≥10 and

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to extract endoscopic findings for diagnosing colorectal neoplasia associated with sessile serrated lesions (SSLs), which are of significant interest. Methods To compare the magnifying narrow‐band imaging (NBI) findings with microscopic morphology, we classified SSLs into two groups: Group A SSLs included the majority of uniform SSLs and any dysplasia other than that classified as group B SSLs. Group B SSLs included SSLs with intramucosal and invasive carcinoma. We also quantitatively assessed visible vessels using ImageJ software. Results This study included 47 patients with 50 group B SSLs who underwent endoscopic resection between 2012 and 2020. The results were retrospectively compared with those of 237 patients with 311 group A SSLs that underwent endoscopic resection. Using conventional white‐light endoscopy, significantly more group B SSLs had uneven shapes and some reddening compared to group A SSLs. The diagnostic odds ratios for group B SSLs were as follows: lesions with a diameter ≥10 mm, 9.76; uneven shape, 3.79; reddening, 15.46; and visible vessels with NBI, 11.32. Regarding visible vessels with NBI, the specificity and diagnostic accuracy for group B SSLs were 94.9% and 93.1%, respectively. The percentage of the vascular tonal area of NBI images was significantly larger for group B SSLs than for group A SSLs (3.97% vs. 0.29%; p < 0.01). Conclusions SSLs with reddening and/or a diameter ≥10 mm are suspected to contain cancerous components. Moreover, visible vessels observed using magnifying NBI can serve as objective indicators for diagnosing SSLs with cancerous components with a high degree of accuracy.

Abstract Background and Aim Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication has become popular as it prevents the development of gastric cancer. There have been no comprehensive studies on advanced gastric cancer (AGC) after eradication; thus, the clinical characteristics remain unclear. This study aimed to compare the characteristics of AGC after eradication and with current H. pylori infection and evaluate the esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) follow‐up after eradication. Methods This single‐center, retrospective study included 261 consecutive patients diagnosed with AGC through EGD. The patients were grouped based on their H. pylori status: eradication (n = 48) and infection (n = 213) groups. Univariate analysis was conducted to compare clinicopathological characteristics between groups. The clinical course of the eradication group was analyzed by dividing the patients into three groups according to the interval from the last EGD until AGC detection: short‐interval ( 20 years after eradication. The R0 rates in the short‐, intermediate‐, and long‐interval groups were 83.3%, 71.4%, and 60%, respectively. Conclusions AGC after eradication was more often detected at the phase in which R0 resection was possible. EGD follow‐up with tight intervals of at least 5 years after eradication is advisable.

Background/Aims Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for residual or recurrent colorectal lesions after incomplete resection is challenging because of severe fibrosis. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of the pocket-creation method (PCM) with a traction device (TD) with that of conventional ESD for residual or recurrent colorectal lesions. Methods We retrospectively studied 72 patients with residual or recurrent colorectal lesions resected using ESD. Overall, 31 and 41 lesions were resected using PCM with TD and conventional ESD methods, respectively. We compared patient background and treatment outcomes between the PCM with TD and conventional ESD groups, respectively. The primary endpoints were en bloc resection and R0 resection rates. The secondary endpoints were the dissection speed and incidence of adverse events. Results En bloc resection was feasible in all cases with PCM with TD, but failed in 22% of cases of conventional ESD. The R0 resection rates for PCM with TD and conventional ESD were 97% and 66%, respectively. Dissection was significantly faster in the PCM with TD group (13.0 vs. 7.9 mm2/min). Perforation and postoperative bleeding were observed in one patient in each group. Conclusions PCM with TD is an effective method for treating residual or recurrent colorectal lesions after incomplete resection.

Abstract Background No studies have compared the performance of microvascular and microsurface patterns alone with their combination in patients undergoing magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging for diagnosing gastric cancer. This study aimed to clarify the differences in diagnostic performance among these methods. Methods Thirty-three participating endoscopists who had received specialized training in magnifying endoscopy evaluated the microvascular and microsurface patterns of images of 106 cancerous and 106 non-cancerous lesions. If classified as “irregular,” the lesion was diagnosed as gastric cancer. To evaluate diagnostic performance, we compared the diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of these methods. Results Performance-related items did not differ significantly between microvascular and microsurface patterns. However, the diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity were significantly higher when using a combination of these methods than when using microvascular (82.1% [76.4–86.7] vs. 76.4% [70.3–81.6] and 69.8% [60.5–77.8] vs. 63.2% [53.7–71.8]; P

Abstract Background and Aim The risk factors for lymph node metastasis (LNM) of duodenal neuroendocrine tumors (DNETs) are not well identified, and a definitive standard of treatment for DNETs has not been established. In this study, we aimed to identify the risk factors for LNM and establish the indication of local resection for DNETs. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 55 patients with 60 non‐ampullary and nonfunctional DNETs. We evaluated the risk factors for LNM and compared the outcomes between endoscopic resection (ER) for DNETs

Background and study aims Laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS) for gastric submucosal tumor was developed as a type of minimal local resection and is now widely used in Asian countries. However, the oncological safety of LECS for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) remains unclear. LECS has potential oncology-related problems that may influence survival outcomes. Furthermore, the feasibility and safety of LECS have not yet been fully established. Patients and methods Patients who were intended to undergo LECS for gastric GIST from 2006 to 2020 were retrospectively selected. The indication for LECS was determined according to the guidelines. The completion of LECS, complications, and survival outcomes of the patients were analyzed. Results Two hundred fifty-nine patients were eligible in this study. According to intraoperative findings, 44 patients underwent local resection without luminal endoscopic procedures. Of the remaining 215 patients, 213 completely underwent LECS, which corresponds to a completion rate of 99.1 %. Six patients (2.8 %) had postoperative complications of Clavien-Dindo classification grade II or higher. Delayed gastric emptying was most commonly found in four patients (1.9 %). Old age (P = 0.0349), female sex (P = 0.0095), tumor located in the lesser curvature (P = 0.0015), and large tumor diameter (P = 0.0232) were significantly more common in patients with complications. The 3-year overall and disease-specific survival rates were 99 % and 100 %, respectively, in 215 patients who were intended to undergo LECS. Conclusions Despite several oncological concerns, LECS for gastric GIST is oncologically safe besides a feasible and safe procedure in the short-term.

Abstract Background and Aim Helicobacter pylori antibody levels in the blood are currently measured using an ELISA. In April 2016, FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation launched the “l‐type Wako Helicobacter pylori antibody J" test, which is based on the latex agglutination turbidimetric immunoassay. In this study, we investigated the usefulness of the Wako test. Methods We measured H. pylori antibody levels using both the ELISA and Wako test in 180 patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at our hospital between September 2017 and February 2019. Ninety patients were infected with H. pylori. We calculated the diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of each test and the concordance rate between the ELISA and Wako test. If lower limits of 90% confidence intervals (CIs) for each diagnostic validity exceeded the 85% threshold, the usefulness of the diagnostic test was confirmed. Results The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 94.4% (90% CI, 90.8–97.0%), 94.4% (90% CI, 88.7–97.8%), and 94.4% (90% CI, 88.7–97.8%), respectively, when the Wako test was used, and 94.4% (90% CI, 90.8–97.0%), 88.9% (90% CI, 81.9–93.8%), and 100% (90% CI, 96.0–100%), respectively, when the ELISA was used. The concordance rate between the two tests was high (κ = 0.8444). Conclusions We confirmed the usefulness of the Wako test, especially when screening for H. pylori infection, due to its high sensitivity.

Abstract Background and Aim l‐Menthol has smooth muscle‐relaxing and antiperistaltic effects. We examined its effectiveness against peristalsis resumption during endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of gastric tumors. Methods We retrospectively examined clinical data of 485 patients (501 lesions) who underwent ESD for upper gastrointestinal tumors in 2017. We included 119 patients (127 lesions) in whom peristaltic movement resumed during ESD and l‐menthol was applied; 366 patients (374 lesions) without l‐menthol application were used as controls. Video recordings were reviewed to determine whether l‐menthol suppressed peristalsis resumption. Results In cases with l‐menthol application, 2 (2.9%), 36 (14.3%), and 89 (71.2%) lesions were found in the upper (U), middle (M), and lower (L) regions, respectively. In the control group, the corresponding values were 66 (17.6%), 215 (57.5%), and 93 (24.9%), respectively. l‐Menthol efficacy was observed in 116 of the 127 treated lesions (91.3%), over 90% of which were in the posterior wall of the U region, anterior wall and greater curvature of the M region, and anterior wall and lesser curvature of the L region. The most and least effective areas for l‐menthol application were the anterior wall of gastric antrum and posterior wall of the M region, respectively. The mean time from application to peristalsis inhibition was 8.7 s. No adverse effects were observed; perforation and secondary hemorrhage were not significantly different between the groups. Conclusion Direct l‐menthol application to the submucosal layer during mucosal resection affects smooth muscles and rapidly inhibits peristalsis resumption. Clinically, l‐Menthol can be used to suppress peristalsis recurrence during ESD, without adverse effects.

Abstract Diagnosis using artificial intelligence (AI) with deep learning could be useful in endoscopic examinations. We investigated the ability of AI to detect superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) from esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) videos. We retrospectively collected 8428 EGD images of esophageal cancer to develop a convolutional neural network through deep learning. We evaluated the detection accuracy of the AI diagnosing system compared with that of 18 endoscopists. We used 144 EGD videos for the two validation sets. First, we used 64 EGD observation videos of ESCCs using both white light imaging (WLI) and narrow-band imaging (NBI). We then evaluated the system using 80 EGD videos from 40 patients (20 with superficial ESCC and 20 with non-ESCC). In the first set, the AI system correctly diagnosed 100% ESCCs. In the second set, it correctly detected 85% (17/20) ESCCs. Of these, 75% (15/20) and 55% (11/22) were detected by WLI and NBI, respectively, and the positive predictive value was 36.7%. The endoscopists correctly detected 45% (25–70%) ESCCs. With AI real-time assistance, the sensitivities of the endoscopists were significantly improved without AI assistance (p

Gastric mixed adenocarcinoma-neuroendocrine tumor (NET) is a rare composite tumor, and a limited number of studies have reported on it. A 77-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of acute cholecystitis. He underwent a cholecystectomy. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy during his admission revealed a slightly elevated tumor, and biopsy demonstrated a well-differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma. The tumor was resected completely by endoscopic submucosal dissection. Histological findings showed that it measured 9 mm in diameter, was located within the mucosa, and consisted of well-differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma and a NET G1. The NET was covered with adenocarcinoma and both components exhibited histological continuity. The NET and a part of the adenocarcinoma component showed a positive reaction for chromogranin A and synaptophysin. Neither enterochromaffin-like cell hyperplasia nor endocrine cell micronest surrounded the tumor. The diagnosis was gastric mixed adenocarcinoma-NET. The histological continuity between the two components can be likened to the same histogenesis.

Abstract In Japan, preoperatively diagnosed T1a-muscularis mucosae or T1b-submucosa 1 (MM/SM1) esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a relative indication for endoscopic resection (ER). We evaluated long-term outcomes in patients after ER for non-circumferential ESCC with a preoperative diagnosis of MM/SM1 invasion. We retrospectively reviewed 66 patients with a preoperative diagnosis of non-circumferential MM/SM1 ESCC endoscopically resected between 2010 and 2015. Patients were divided into low- (adequate follow-up) and high-risk (requiring additional treatment) groups for lymph node metastasis according to risk factors (submucosal invasion, lymphovascular invasion, or droplet infiltration) and long-term outcomes were analyzed. Pathological invasion to T1a-lamina propria mucosa, MM/SM1, and T1b-SM2 was seen in 22, 38, and 6 lesions, respectively. Overall, 71.2% patients were classified into the “adequate follow-up” group. Of these, only one patient had a lymph node recurrence, which was successfully treated by additional therapy. The remaining 28.8% patients were classified into the “requiring additional treatment” group, where no recurrences were observed after additional treatments. After a median follow-up of 58.6 months, no deaths happened due to ESCC. The 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 93.6% and 88.7%, respectively. ER is a valid initial treatment for non-circumferential ESCC with preoperatively diagnosed MM/SM1 invasion.

Background and study aims Management strategies for sporadic non-ampullary duodenal adenoma with low-grade dysplasia (LGD) are not well established. This study aimed to analyze progression factors and determine suitable treatment strategies for LGD lesions. Patients and methods We retrospectively analyzed consecutive LGD lesions (n = 125) in patients followed up for ≥ 6 months (median, 45 months) and evaluated the changes in clinicopathological features during follow-up. All LGD lesions were classified into two groups: stable LGD (no increase or

Background and study aims Response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST) have been the gold standard to preoperatively predict treatment response and prognosis in patients with gastric cancer (GC) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC); however, methods for patients without evaluable lesions by RECIST are not yet confirmed. The aim of this study was to assess the utility of preoperative endoscopy for predicting treatment response and prognosis in patients with GC after NAC. Patients and methods This retrospective study included 105 patients with initially resectable GC who underwent NAC followed by surgical treatment. Preoperative factors for predicting treatment response and survival outcomes were analyzed. Results The number of patients classified as responders using preoperative endoscopic assessment, RECIST, and postoperative pathological evaluation were 25 (23.8 %), 28 (26.7 %), and 18 (17.1 %), respectively. Forty-three patients (41 %) were classified as non-targeted disease only, and their treatment responses were not evaluable by RECIST. Multivariate analysis identified endoscopic response as an independent preoperative factor to predict postoperative histological treatment response (odds ratio = 4.556, 95 % CI = 1.169–17.746, P = 0.029). Endoscopic treatment response was the only independent preoperative predictive factor for overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio = 0.419, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 0.206–0.849, P = 0.016). Further, endoscopic treatment response was available for 33 patients (76.7 %) with non-targeted disease only, which showed significantly different OS between endoscopic responders (80.0 %) and non-responders (43.5 %) (P = 0.025). Conclusions Endoscopic evaluation was an independent preoperative factor to predict treatment response and prognosis in patients with GC after NAC. Endoscopic assessment may be especially valuable for patients who could not be assessed by RECIST.

Introduction Metastatic renal cell carcinoma is treated with various regimens. As their outcomes are improving and follow‐up periods are growing longer, the rate of unusual visceral metastases may increase. Case presentation A 68‐year‐old man diagnosed with lung, pancreatic, and renal metastases 9 years after left partial nephrectomy and a diagnosis of pT1a clear cell renal cell carcinoma started molecular targeted therapy using sunitinib. Nine years after the initiation of targeted therapy, a mass lesion in the esophagus was revealed by follow‐up computed tomography, and endoscopic mucosal resection of the esophageal metastatic lesion was performed. One year later, a bladder tumor was detected by follow‐up computed tomography. The patient underwent transurethral resection of the bladder tumor. Histological evaluation of both resected specimens disclosed clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Conclusion We present a valuable case of metachronous esophagus and bladder metastases from renal cell carcinoma in a long‐term follow‐up.

Background and study aims Colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is technically challenging owing to submucosal fibrosis and difficult endoscope manipulation. Therefore, various traction methods have been reported. We often use a simple looped nylon thread attached to a clip to assist with dissection. We assessed the feasibility of mentor-guided colorectal ESD using this traction device (TD). Patients and methods From December 2017 to March 2018, we retrospectively reviewed outcomes of 101 colorectal ESDs performed by two groups of endoscopists (A, 5 endoscopists with colorectal ESD experience of 300 cases). Group A was further divided into two subgroups that performed ESD with or without TD. Results No significant difference was observed in ESD completion rates (86.1 % [62/72] vs. 96.6 % [28/29]; odds ratio [OR], 0.22; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.005 – 1.71; P = 0.17) or procedure times (52.0 min vs. 40.0 min; P = 0.27) and adverse event rates between groups A and B. The rate of TD use was significantly higher in group A than in group B (44.4 % [32/72] vs. 20.7 % [6/29]; OR, 3.03; CI, 1.04 – 10.23; P = 0.03). The completion rate was not different between the two subgroups of group A (with vs. without TD) (81.2 % [26/32] vs. 90.0 % [36/40]; OR, 0.49; CI, 0.09 – 2.29; P = 0.32); however, the proportion of fibrosis cases was significantly higher in the TD-use group (46.8 % [15/32] vs. 22.5 % [9/40]; OR, 2.99; CI, 0.98 – 9.59; P = 0.03). Conclusion Mentor-guided colorectal ESD using TD was performed efficiently, safely, and in a manner comparable to that of experts.

Background and study aims Delineating undifferentiated-type early gastric cancer (UD-type EGC) from noncancerous areas is difficult. Therefore, the lateral margin negative (LM−) resection rate of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is lower for UD-type EGC than for differentiated-type EGC. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness of the marking methods with circumferential biopsies in ESD for UD-type EGC. Patients and methods We analyzed the clinical outcomes of ESD in 127 patients with UD-type EGC between April 2013 and 2017. We performed diagnostic delineation of cancerous areas using magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging, and four or more circumferential biopsies approximately 5 mm apart from the estimated lesion border were obtained to confirm noncancerous areas. The markings were placed on the circumferential biopsy scars, and a mucosal incision line was made outside the markings. Results Median size of the tumors and ESD specimens was 12 and 35 mm, respectively. En-bloc resection rate was 100 % (127/127), and LM− and curative resection rates were 97.6 % (124/127) and 80.3 % (102/127), respectively. Circumferential biopsy in preoperative esophagogastroduodenoscopy has successfully identified the misdiagnosis of cancerous areas of four patients (3.2 %), with three (2.4%) achieving LM− resection. LM + resection was pathologically identified in three patients (2.4 %), with all undergoing non-curative resection due to > 20-mm tumor. The proportion of patients with the shortest distance ≥ 5 mm from the lesion edge to the specimen edge was 88.2 % (112/127). Conclusion Our marking methods with circumferential biopsies may reduce LM + resections in ESD for UD-type EGC.

Background and study aims Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) has utility in early detection of upper gastrointestinal (UGI) neoplasms. However, previous studies report shorter inspection times and inexperienced endoscopists contribute to overlooking gastric neoplasms. We investigated neoplasm detection rates according to inspection time and extent of EGD training. Patients and methods In this retrospective observational study, we reviewed routine EGDs for 3,925 consecutive cases between October 2014 and March 2015. We divided the endoscopists into three groups based on median inspection time during EGD without undergoing biopsy. Using cut-off median inspection times of 7 and 10 minutes, three, five, and eight endoscopists were classified into the fast, moderate, and slow groups, respectively. We compared detection rates according to inspection time and the extent of EGD training. Results The median inspection time among all endoscopists was 9.3 minutes (range, 6.6 – 12.0 min). The detection rate for UGI neoplasms was as follows: fast group, 3.6%; moderate group, 3.3 %; and slow group, 3.1 % (P = 0.807). The median inspection time was significantly shorter among the intensive training ≥ 1-year group than among the

Background and study aims Positive horizontal margins in resected specimens are sometimes encountered after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancers, and appropriate treatment strategies for these cases are not established. The aim of this study was to evaluate current empirical treatments for patients with positive horizontal or indeterminable margins after ESD. Patients and methods We performed a multicenter survey and data from 14 hospitals were collected. The pooled proportions of positive horizontal or indeterminable margins and those of patients followed up without early intervention were calculated using a logistic-normal random-effects model. For calculating pooled estimates, subgroup analyses of high- and non-high-volume centers were conducted. Results A total of 11,796 ESD cases were enrolled and 229 patients (2 %) had positive horizontal or indeterminable margins. Ninety-eight cases were treated within 30 days of ESD and 131 cases were followed up without early treatments. Pooled estimates of positive margins in high- and non-high-volume centers were 1 % (95 % CI: 1 % – 2 %) and 2 % (95 % CI: 1 % – 4 %), respectively, and were not heterogeneous (P = 0.191). The proportion of patients followed up without early intervention ranged from 30 % to 100 %. The pooled estimate was 68 % (95 % CI: 50 % – 83 %). The pooled estimates of high- and non-high-volume centers were 65 % (95 % CI: 38 % – 85 %) and 72 % (95 % CI: 44 % – 89 %), respectively, and were not heterogeneous (P = 0.692). Conclusion There was insufficient consensus regarding treatment strategies used for early gastric cancer with positive horizontal or indeterminable margins after ESD. Further studies are required to establish a consensus.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication is usually assessed using the 13C-urea breath test (UBT), anti-H. pylori antibody and the H. pylori stool antigen test. However, a few reports have used pepsinogen (PG), in particular, the percentage change in the PG I/II ratio. Here, we evaluated the usefulness of the percentage changes in serum PG I/II ratios for determining the success of eradication therapy for H. pylori.In total, 650 patients received eradication therapy from October 2008 to March 2013 in our Cancer Institute Hospital. We evaluated the relationship between H. pylori eradication and percentage changes in serum PG I/II ratios before and 3 months after treatment with CLEIA® (FUJIREBIO Inc, Tokyo, Japan). The gold standard of H. pylori eradication was defined as negative by the UBT performed 3 months after completion of eradication treatment. Cut-off values for percentage changes in serum PG I/II ratios were set as +40, +25 and +10% when the serum PG I/II ratio before treatment was below 3.0, above 3.0 but below 5.0 and 5.0 or above, respectively.Serum PG I and PG II levels were measured in 562 patients with H. pylori infection before and after eradication therapy. Eradication of H. pylori was achieved in 433 patients studied (77.0%). The ratios of first, second, third-line and penicillin allergy eradication treatment were 73.8% (317/429), 88.3% (99/112), 75% (12/16) and 100% (5/5), respectively. An increasing percentage in the serum levels of the PG I/II ratios after treatment compared with the values before treatment clearly distinguished success from failure of eradication (108.2±57.2 vs. 6.8±30.7, p

Background: Superficial Barrett’s esophageal adenocarcinoma (s-BEA) in Barrett’s esophagus frequently occurs in the right wall of the esophagus. Our aim was to examine the correlation between the location of s-BEA and the direction of acid and non-acid reflux in patients with Barrett’s esophagus. Patients and methods: We performed 24-h pH monitoring in 33 s-BEA patients using a pH catheter with eight sensors. One sensor was located at the 6 o’clock position in the lower esophagus and sensors 1 – 8 were arranged counterclockwise at the same level. The catheter was positioned at the same level as the s-BEA. We measured the maximal total duration of acid (MTD-A) and non-acid (MTD-NA) reflux. When the direction of MTD-A and MTD-NA coincided with the location of the s-BEA, the case was defined as coincidental and we calculated the rate of coincidence, and the probability of the rate of coincidence was estimated with 95 % confidence intervals (95 %CI). Results: Among the 33 cases of s-BEA examined, the rate of coincidence of both MTD-A and MTD-NA was 24/33 (72.7 %) (95 %CI 0.54 – 0.87). The rate of coincidence of either MTD-A or MTD-NA was 30/33 (90.9 %) (95 %CI 0.76 – 0.98). Conclusions: Our study revealed that the location of s-BEA mostly corresponds to the direction of MTD-A or MTD-NA. Accurate observation of the distribution of acid or non-acid reflux by pH monitoring would aid early detection of s-BEA by endoscopy.