Endoscopic submucosal excavation and endoscopic full-thickness resection for gastric schwannoma: five-year experience from a large tertiary center in China

Background and aims: Endoscopic resection (ER) is an effective and safe method for gastric submucosal tumors, mostly composed of gastrointestinal stromal tumors and leiomyomas. The role of ER in gastric schwannoma (GS) has rarely been described. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ER for GS. Methods: This is a retrospective study in consecutive patients who underwent ER for GS from March 2013 to October 2018 at our center. Clinicopathological, endoscopic, and follow-up data were collected and analyzed. Results: A total of 16 consecutive patients (9 females, 56.3%) were included, with a mean age of 50.4 years (range 25–75 years). The mean tumor size was 22.9 ± 15.1 mm (range 10–55 mm). Thirteen tumors (81.3%) were located in the middle third of the stomach and 12 tumors (75%) grew with intraluminal pattern. Endoscopic submucosal excavation (ESE) was performed in 7 patients while endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) was done in 9 patients. R0 resection was achieved in 14 patients (87.5%). The mean operative time was 91.6 ± 52.8 min (range 36–203 min) and the mean postoperative length of hospital stays was 8.3 ± 2.7 days (range 6–13 days). No adverse events were encountered except for fevers in 2 patients. No patients required surgical resection or intervention. During long-term follow-up of mean 21.8 months (range 6–62 months), no residue, recurrence, or metastasis was observed. Conclusions: ER is effective and safe for patients with GS with favorable long-term outcomes.