Combined laparoscopy-endoscopy local resection for early gastric cancer

Abstract

The surgical treatment of early gastric cancer (EGC) is undergoing the development of minimally invasive, precise and individualized treatment. The concept is changing from simple emphasis on radical treatment to giving consideration to both radical treatment and functional preservation. Combined laparoscopy-endoscopy local resection can achieve accurate resection of the lesions of EGC and solve the problem of lymph node dissection which cannot be performed in endoscopic mucosal dissection (ESD). At present, there are several methods of combined laparoscopy-endoscopy local resection for EGC, such as laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR), endoscopy-assisted wedge resection (EAWR), combined laparoscopic and endoscopic approach for neoplasia with a non-exposure technique (CLEAN-NET), and non-exposed endoscopic wall-inversion surgery (NEWS). These methods of local resection have the advantages of minimal invasion, shorter operation time, and less blood loss compared to conventional gastrectomy. Concerning the issue of lymph node dissection in combined laparoscopy-endoscopy surgery, sentinel node navigation can be the solution, although cumbersome intraoperative lymph node tracing, operative failure and false negative still exist. As a developing treatment for EGC, combined laparoscopy-endoscopy local resection will have a good application prospect in the future.