From uniformed treatment to individualized treatment for superficial esophageal cancer--what is potentially a new approach?

of analyses of superficial ESCCs in Japan, the incidence of lymph node metastasis in M1, M2, and M3 was 0%, 3.3%, and 12.2%, respectively. In submucosal cancer, nodal metastasis was found in 26.5% of SM1, 35.8% of SM2, and 45.9% of SM3, respectively. 5) According to Japanese guidelines based on these results, absolute indication of EMR or ESD is an M1 or M2 tumor, and relative indication is an M3 or SM1 tumor. In fact, almost half of the Japanese patients with superficial ESCCs underwent EMR or ESD, and the remaining half underwent surgical treatment. 6)