Endoscopic Forceps Biopsy Specimens Research Articles

Ulcerative colitis–associated flat-appearing rectal cancer with submucosal extension

A 78-year-old man with ulcerative colitis (UC) in clinical remission underwent annual cancer surveillance colonoscopy. Histopathologic evaluation of an endoscopic forceps biopsy specimen from a nearly unrecognizable but slightly discolored rectal area adjacent to the dentate line showed high-grade dysplasia (A). Magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging revealed a lesion (approximately 15 mm in diameter) with small round glandular orifices (B). Considering the small size and flat morphology, which resembled that of a noninvasive tumor, the patient’s age, and the surgical invasiveness, we performed preceding endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) as a total excision biopsy.

A randomized trial to determine the diagnostic accuracy of conventional vs. jumbo forceps biopsy of gastric epithelial neoplasias before endoscopic submucosal dissection; open-label study

Larger biopsy specimens or increasing the number of biopsies may improve the diagnostic accuracy of gastric epithelial neoplasia (GEN). The aims of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracies between conventional and jumbo forceps biopsy of GEN before endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and to confirm that increasing the number of biopsies is useful for the diagnosis of GEN. The concordance rate between EFB and ESD specimens was not significantly different between the two groups [83.1 % (54/65) in JG vs. 79.1 % (53/67) in CG]. On multivariate analyses, two or four EFBs significantly increased the cumulating concordance rate [coefficients; twice: 5.1 (P = 0.01), four times: 5.9 (P = 0.02)]. But, the concordance rate was decreased in high grade dysplasia (coefficient -40.32, P = 0.006). One hundred and sixty GENs from 148 patients were randomized into two groups and finally 67 GENs in 61 patients and 65 GENs in 63 patients were allocated to the conventional group (CG) or jumbo group (JG), respectively. Four endoscopic forceps biopsy (EFB) specimens were obtained from each lesion with conventional (6.8 mm) forceps or jumbo (8 mm) forceps. The histological concordance rate between 4 EFB specimens and ESD specimens was investigated in the two groups. Before ESD, the diagnostic accuracy of GENs was significantly increased not by the use of jumbo forceps biopsy but by increasing the number of biopsies.

Treatment strategy for gastric non-invasive intraepithelial neoplasia diagnosed by endoscopic biopsy

Treatment strategies, whether as follow-up or "total incisional biopsy" for gastric noninvasive intraepithelial neoplasia diagnosed by examination of an endoscopic forceps biopsy specimen, are controversial due to problems associated with the diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic forceps biopsy and questions about the safety and efficacy of endoscopic treatment. Based on the histological findings of the biopsy specimen, it is difficult to differentiate between reactive or regenerative changes, inflammation and neoplastic changes, intraepithelial and invasive tumors. Therefore, gastric neoplasia diagnosed as noninvasive intraepithelial often develop into invasive carcinoma during follow-up. Recent advances in endoscopic modalities and treatment devices, such as image-enhanced endoscopy and high-frequency generators, may make endoscopic treatment, such as endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), a therapeutic option for gastric intraepithelial neoplasia, including low-grade neoplasms. Future studies are required to evaluate whether ESD is a valid strategy for gastric intraepithelial neoplasm with regard to safety and cost effectiveness.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection as a treatment for gastric noninvasive neoplasia: a multicenter study by Osaka University ESD Study Group

Treatment with endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for gastric noninvasive neoplasia (NIN) diagnosed by endoscopic forceps biopsy specimen, whether as a follow-up or "total incisional biopsy", is controversial. To validate the use of ESD for total incisional biopsy in NIN, we examined the underdiagnosis rate of NIN and the rates of complication associated with ESD. This is a cross-sectional multicenter retrospective study from 10 hospitals. Subjects diagnosed with NIN (equivalent to category 3 or 4.1 of the Vienna classification) by endoscopic forceps biopsy and treated with ESD were included. From March 2003 to December 2009, a total of 468 subjects were included and analyzed. The underdiagnosis rate was defined as the proportion of lesions diagnosed with adenocarcinoma after ESD. We assessed the complete en-bloc resection rate and the complication rate of ESD. Among the 468 subjects with NIN, 205 were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma after ESD, with an underdiagnosis rate of 44% (95% confidence interval: 39-49%). Two submucosal cancer lesions had invaded beyond 500 μm and one had lymphatic involvement. The complete en-bloc resection rate was 97%. The incidences of post-ESD bleeding, perforation, and serious complications were 5.5, 4.7, and 0.43%, respectively. There were no procedure-related deaths. In this large-scale, multicenter cross-sectional study, over 40% of the noninvasive gastric neoplasia specimens were determined to have adenocarcinoma, and the ESD-related complication rate was relatively low. Therefore, ESD was useful and may be a therapeutic option for gastric NIN.

A case of small bowel adenocarcinoma in a patient with Crohn’s disease detected by PET/CT and double-balloon enteroscopy

Small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) is quite rare, difficult to diagnose without surgery, and has a poor prognosis. Here, we report a 48-year-old man with SBA and a 21-year history of CD who was diagnosed by a combination of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE). Since the age of 27 years, the patient had been treated for ileal CD and was referred to our hospital with persistent melena. Multiple hepatic tumors were found by CT. PET/CT detected an accumulation spot in the small bowel. DBE revealed an ulcerative tumor in the ileum about 100 cm from the ileocecal valve. An endoscopic forceps biopsy specimen showed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. There were some longitudinal ulcer scars near the tumor, and the chronic inflammation in the small bowel appeared to be associated with the cancer development. Previous reports suggest the risk of SBA in patients with CD is higher than in the overall population. Since early diagnosis is extremely difficult in these cases, novel techniques, such as PET/CT and DBE, may be expected to help in making a preoperative diagnosis of the development of SBA in CD.

Histamine release from gut mast cells from patients with inflammatory bowel diseases.

Inflammatory mediators from intestinal mast cells may serve as initiators of acute and delayed inflammation. Mast cell histamine release was measured in 19 patients with inflammatory bowel diseases using gut mast cells from enzymatically dispersed endoscopic forceps biopsy specimens of macroscopically inflamed and normal tissue. Mast cells and corresponding basophils were challenged with anti-IgE, anti-IgG, subclass anti-IgG4, and formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) and results were compared with those from nine patient control subjects. The mast cell count in patients with ulcerative colitis was increased compared with that in control subjects and patients with Crohn's disease, and the mast cell count obtained from inflamed tissue was greater than that of normal tissue. The study also shows the heterogeneity of the responsiveness of the histamine releasing cells to various secretagogues. Thus, mast cells released 0.4 (0.0-2.0) (median (range)) ng histamine per sample at anti-IgE challenge, and basophils were also anti-IgE responsive. In contrast, mast cells did not respond to FMLP but the corresponding basophils did. Gut mast cells released 0.3 (0.0-1.0) (median (range)) ng histamine per sample at anti-IgG4 challenge; however, the corresponding basophils did not respond to anti-IgG4. In addition, the anti-IgG4 mediated histamine release was primarily confined to patients with inflammatory bowel disease. This study substantiates previous histopathological findings that mast cells may play a functional role in the inflammatory process of inflammatory bowel diseases and provides evidence for a possible role of subclass IgG4 as a reaginic antibody.

Duodenal gastrin concentration in upper gastrointestinal disorders.

Duodenal gastrin concentration was measured in endoscopic forceps biopsy specimens of the juxta-pyloric duodenal mucosa in patients with various gastrointestinal disorders. Duodenal gastrin concentration was 5.9 +/- 1.2 ng/mg (mean +/- 1 SEM) in control patients. Duodenal gastrin concentration was similar to control values in patients with duodenal ulcer, pyloric channel ulcer, vagotomy and pyloroplasty, and gastric atrophy and hypergastrinemia. In gastric ulcer patients, duodenal gastrin concentration, 2.8 +/- 0.6 ng/mg, was significantly less than the control value (P less than 0.05). Duodenal gastrin concentration was approximately one third of antral gastrin concentration in control, duodenal ulcer, and gastric ulcer patients and was approximately one fifth of antral gastrin concentration in vagotomy and pyloroplasty patients and gastric atrophy patients. Duodenal and antral gastrin concentrations were significantly correlated in normal controls and in gastric ulcer patients. The finding of normal duodenal gastrin concentration in patients with vagotomy and pyloroplasty and patients with gastric atrophy suggests that, unlike antral gastrin concentration, duodenal gastrin concentration is unaffected by a decrease in acid secretion rate. The low duodenal gastrin concentration in gastric ulcer patients indicates that the duodenum may be involved in the pathophysiology of gastric ulcer disease.

Antral Gastrin Concentration in Patients With Vagotomy and Pyloroplasty

Antral gastrin concentration was measured in endoscopic forceps biopsy specimens and prepyloric mucosa in patients with vagotomy and pyloroplasty, duodenal ulcer patients and nonulcer patients. Antral gastrin concentration in vagotomy and pyloroplasty patients, 35.5 +/- 4.1 ng of gastrin per mg of tissue (mean +/- SEM), was significantly greater (P less than 0.01) than antral gastrin concentration in duodenal ulcer patients, 13.0 +/- 2.4 ng per mg, and antral gastrin concentration in controls, 14.8 +/- 3.1 ng per mg. Basal and meal-stimulated serum gastrin levels in vagotomy and pyloroplasty patients were also significantly greater (P less than 0.05) than gastrin levels in either duodenal ulcer patients or controls. Acid secretion rates were not significantly correlated with serum or antral gastrin concentrations in the patients groups.