Early Gastric Cancer Suspected to Have Disappeared by Endoscopic Biopsy During Health Checkup: A Case Report

Abstract

  A 57-year-old man underwent a health checkup at our clinic, including nasal esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). A suspicious 10 mm irregularity was found in the stomach’s posterior wall, leading to concerns about early gastric cancer (type IIc). Biopsy results showed well-differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma (tub1). For endoscopic submucosal dissection, the patient was referred to the National Cancer Center Hospital East (cancer center). Similar to our findings, the cancer center’s pathology department confirmed tub1+tub2. Subsequent EGD suggested vanishing cancer. A surveillance approach was conducted. After 3 months, repeated EGD confirmed vanishing cancer, leading to annual follow-ups. While “vanishing cancer” is known clinically, its occurrence during post-health checkup prompted a brief literature review.