Abstract
Early gastric cancer (EGC) which was discovered and discussed at an endoscopic training meeting was treated by endoscopic resection (ER). Twenty eight cases of EGC were treated by ER using two channel fiberscope from 1979 to June 1987. Age distribution was from 37 to 84. The cases included 3 cases of type I, 9 cases of IIa and 16 cases of IIc. IIc cases have recently been increasing. The size of lesion was less than 10mm in diameter in 17 cases, 11-20mm in 9 cases, and more than 21mm in 2 cases. A positive rate of residual cancer at the cut margin of resected material was 18% (5/28), and distal gas-trectomy was performed in 4 cases. The positive rate was low in differentiated type, and high in undif erentiated type. Follow-up study after ER showed that all except one died of non-cancer disease were alive and 4 were 5-year survivors without recurrence. It is concluded that ER is useful and safe for the treatment of small EGC.
