Endoscopic resection of early oesophageal and gastric neoplasia.

In the last decades, endoscopic treatment of early neoplastic lesions in the oesophagus and stomach has evolved as a valid and less invasive alternative to surgical resection. Endoscopic resection (ER) is the cornerstone of endoscopic therapy. Apart from the curative potential of ER, by removing neoplastic lesions, ER may also serve as a diagnostic tool. The relatively large tissue specimens obtained with ER enable accurate histological staging of a lesion, allowing for optimal decision making for further patient management. ER was pioneered in Japan, mainly for the resection of gastric lesions and squamous oesophageal neoplasia, and also Western countries have been increasingly implementing ER in the treatment of early gastro-oesophageal neoplasia, mostly associated with Barrett oesophagus. In this review we will give an overview of the different techniques that have been developed and modified for ER of early gastro-oesophageal neoplasia, and we will discuss the indications for ER in the oesophagus and stomach.