Gastric Subepithelial Tumors Research Articles

Diagnostic ability and adverse events of mucosal incision-assisted biopsy for gastric subepithelial tumors: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the diagnostic ability and examine the efficacy ofcountermeasures to adverse events of mucosal incision-assisted biopsy (MIAB) for gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs). We performed a literature search and identified 533 relevant articles. Eleven articles, including 339 lesions, were ultimately used in the meta-analysis. The primary end-point was the pathological diagnostic rate of MIAB for gastric SETs, and the secondary end-point was the incidence of adverse events. The efficacy of acid secretion inhibitors in preventing postoperative bleeding and that of local injection before incision to prevent perforation were also examined. Nine studies were conducted in Japan and two in South Korea, of which only two were prospective studies. The pooled pathological diagnostic rate of MIAB for gastric SETs was 87.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 80.2-94.0; I2 = 68.7%). The adverse event rate of the pooled population was 0.2% (95% CI 0-1.4; I2 = 0%). The acid secretion inhibitors significantly reduced postoperative bleeding (odds ratio 0.06, 95% CI 0.01-0.66, P = 0.02). Perforation occurred in 0% and 2.6% of the local and nonlocal injection cohorts, respectively, and the pathological diagnostic rates were 50% and 66.7%, respectively. MIAB is a reliable technique with a favorable diagnostic rate and few adverse events. Acid secretion inhibitors may effectively prevent postoperative bleeding; however, the efficacy of local injection remains unclear. This technique could be an option for tissue sampling in gastric SETs.

Gastric Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma Presenting as a Rapidly Growing Subepithelial Tumor

A 48-year-old man presented to our hospital for evaluation of melena. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed an endophytic contrast-enhanced mass (approximately 9 cm) in the gastric fundus and upper body. CT showed no evidence of metastasis to other organs. Endoscopic examination revealed a large mass accompanied by an exudate and signs of surface hemorrhage. The shape of the mass resembled that of a subepithelial tumor, and >50% of the mucosa was peeled off. Endoscopic ultrasonography revealed hyperechoic spreading and dotor rod-shaped anechoic lesions arranged within an overall hypoechoic mass. The patient underwent total gastrectomy with lymph node dissection and was diagnosed with undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma without lymph node metastasis. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, a high-grade aggressive soft tissue sarcoma, predominantly involves the extremities and rarely the stomach. It is usually asymptomatic but tends to grow rapidly. Endoscopic imaging performed a year prior to presentation was unremarkable. We report a case of a gastric undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma that presented as a rapidly growing subepithelial tumor. Malignancies other than a gastrointestinal stromal tumor should be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients presenting with a rapidly growing gastric subepithelial tumor.

Tuberculosis presenting as a gastric subepithelial tumor: truly a great masquerade

Tuberculosis presenting as a gastric subepithelial tumor: truly a great masquerade

Endoscopic Treatment for Gastric Subepithelial Tumor.

Most gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs) are asymptomatic and are often incidentally discovered during endoscopic procedures conducted for unrelated reasons. Although surveillance is sufficient for the majority of gastric SETs, certain cases necessitate proactive management. Laparoscopic wedge resection, although a viable treatment option, has its limitations, particularly in cases where SETs (especially those with intraluminal growth) are not visualized on the peritoneal side. Recent advances in endoscopic instruments and technology have paved the way for the feasibility of endoscopic resection of SETs. Several promising endoscopic techniques have emerged for gastric SET resection, including submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection, endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR), laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS), and non-exposure EFTR (non-exposed endoscopic wall-inversion surgery and non-exposure simple suturing EFTR). This study aimed to discuss the indications, methods, and outcomes of endoscopic therapy for gastric SETs. In addition, a simplified diagram of the category of SETs according to the therapeutic indications and an algorithm for the endoscopic management of SET is suggested.

Single-port intragastric wedge resection using the tunnel method: a novel surgical approach for treating endophytic gastric subepithelial tumors.

Intragastric wedge resection is an effective method for treating endophytic gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs). However, retracting the stomach wall to the umbilicus is difficult in certain patients. In response, we developed a novel surgical technique for single-port intragastric wedge resection, which we termed the "tunnel method." A transumbilical incision is made, and a wound retractor is applied. After diagnostic laparoscopy, a gastrostomy is made on the greater curvature, lower body. Another small wound retractor is inserted into the gastrostomy, and extracted through the transumbilical incision, creating a tunnel from the gastrostomy site to the umbilicus. Articulating laparoscopic instruments are inserted via the tunnel, and intragastric wedge resection is performed. We collected and analyzed the clinicopathologic and operative data of patients who underwent intragastric wedge resection via the tunnel method. Twenty-seven patients who underwent single-port intragastric wedge resection via the tunnel method in a single tertiary referral hospital were included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 54.6 ± 11.4years, body mass index was 26.5 ± 3.4kg/m2. Twenty-four (88.9%) patients had tumors located in the upper third of the stomach. The average operative time was 65.0 ± 24.2min. None of the patients experienced Clavien-Dindo grade IIIa or higher postoperative complications. The average postoperative hospital stay length was 2.5 ± 0.8days. Thirteen gastrointestinal stromal tumors, nine leiomyomas, and one neuroendocrine carcinoma, schwannoma, lipoma, spindle cell proliferative lesion, and fibrotic lesion were pathologically diagnosed. The average tumor size was 2.6 ± 1.3cm. All cases had negative resection margins. Single-port intragastric wedge resection by the tunnel method is a feasible and safe approach for treating endophytic gastric SETs.

The efficacy of full-thickness endoscopic resection of subepithelial tumors in the gastric cardia.

Gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs) may harbor potential malignancy. Although it is well recognized that large SETs should be resected, the precise treatment strategy remains controversial. Compared to surgical resection, endoscopic resection (ER) has many advantages; however, ER of SETs in the cardia is challenging. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) for the treatment of gastric cardia SETs. We retrospectively reviewed data from all patients with SETs originating from the muscularis propria layer in the gastric cardia that were treated by EFTR or submucosal tunneling ER (STER) at Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University between November 2014 and May 2022. Baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes, including procedure times and complications rates, were compared between groups of patients receiving EFTR and STER. A total of 171 tumors were successfully removed [71 (41.5%) tumors in the EFTR and 100 (58.5%) tumors in the STER group]. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) were the most common SET. The en bloc resection rate was 100% in the EFTR group vs 97.0% in STER group (P > 0.05). Overall, the EFTR group had a higher complete resection rate than the STER group (98.6% vs 91.0%, P < 0.05). The procedure time was also shorter in the EFTR group (44.63 ± 28.66 min vs 53.36 ± 27.34, P < 0.05). The most common major complication in both groups was electrocoagulation syndrome. There was no significant difference in total complications between the two groups (21.1% vs 22.0%, P = 0.89). EFTR of gastric cardia SETs is a very promising method to facilitate complete resection with similar complications and reduced operative times compared to STER. In cases of suspected GISTs or an unclear diagnosis, EFTR should be recommended to ensure complete resection.

Goldilocks principle of minimally invasive surgery for gastric subepithelial tumors.

Minimally invasive surgery had been tailored to individual cases of gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs) after comparing the clinical outcomes of endoscopic resection (ER), laparoscopic resection (LR), and hybrid methods. To study the use of Goldilocks principle to determine the best form of minimally invasive surgery for gastric SETs. In this retrospective study, 194 patients of gastric SETs with high probability of surgical intervention were included. All patients underwent tumor resection in the operating theater between January 2013 and December 2021. The patients were divided into two groups, ER or LR, according to the tumor characteristics and the initial intent of intervention. Few patients in the ER group required further backup laparoscopic surgery after an incomplete ER. The patients who had converted open surgery were excluded. A logistic regression model was used to assess the associations between patient characteristics and the likelihood of a treatment strategy. The area under the curve was used to assess the discriminative ability of tumor size and Youden's index to determine the optimal cut-off tumor size. One-hundred ninety-four patients (100 in the ER group and 94 in the LR group) underwent tumor resection in the operating theater. In the ER group, 27 patients required backup laparoscopic surgery after an incomplete ER. The patients in the ER group had small tumor sizes and shorter procedure durations while the patients in the LR group had large tumor sizes, exophytic growth, malignancy, and tumors that were more often located in the middle or lower third of the stomach. Both groups had similar durations of hospital stays and a similar rate of major postoperative complications. The patients in the ER group who underwent backup surgery required longer procedures (56.4 min) and prolonged stays (2 d) compared to the patients in the LR group without the increased rate of major postoperative complications. The optimal cut-off point for the tumor size for laparoscopic surgery was 2.15 cm. Multidisciplinary teamwork leads to the adoption of different strategies to yield efficient clinical outcomes according to the tumor characteristics.

Advanced diagnostic endoscopy in the upper gastrointestinal tract: Review of the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society core sessions.

We held four upper gastrointestinal tract advanced diagnostic endoscopy sessions from the 89th to the 92nd Congress of the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society. The most common region addressed was the stomach in 25 presentations, followed by the esophagus in 23, duodenum in five, and other in one. Looking at techniques discussed, the most common image enhancement method discussed was narrowband imaging in 29 presentations, blue laser imaging, and linked color imaging (LCI) in 10 each, dual red imaging in three, and autofluorescence imaging in one. Furthermore, there were presentations of new techniques such as M-Chromo-LCI and acetic acid-indigo carmine mixture LCI. There were also six presentations regarding probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy, and one of endocytoscopy techniques. We also saw presentations of images of gastric subepithelial tumors within the submucosa, 3D endoscopy, the development of computer-aided detection systems for early cancers, and fluorescent imaging.

Is it enough to observe less than 2cm sized gastric SET?

The recent surge in demand for screening endoscopy has led to an increased detection of gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs). According to current guideline, SETs less than 2cm in size are recommended for periodic surveillance. In light of recent advancement in therapeutic endoscopy in resection of small SET, we analyzed the histopathological features and the effectiveness of endoscopic resection for these small SETs. Retrospectively study was performed on 74 patients who underwent endoscopic resection of gastric small (≤ 2cm) upper gastrointestinal tract SETs. The outcomes including histopathology and en bloc resection were analyzed. The mean SET size was 11.69 ± 5.11mm. The mean procedure time was 81.26 ± 42.53min. Of the 74 patients, 28 patients had leiomyomas, 26 had gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), 14 had ectopic pancreas, 4 had lipomas, and 2 had neuroendocrine tumors. Among those with GIST, two patients exhibited high-risk histology. All patients underwent successful and uneventful endoscopy. Endoscopic resection can be recommended even for the small gastric SETs. In our study, we found that SETs with a size of less than 2cm have significant proportion of GISTs which harbor malignant transformation potential.

Gastric Subepithelial Tumor Diagnosed by Transabdominal Ultrasonography

Endoscopic ultrasonography is usually used in the diagnosis of subepithelial tumors but requires special equipment and expertise, which can be obstacles in some clinics. Transabdominal ultrasonography is an easily available diagnostic tool for diagnosing gastric subepithelial tumors. Hydroultrasonography can depict all five layers of the stomach wall. On ultrasonography, the gastric lipoma is recognized as a well demarcated hyperechoic mass mainly located in the submucosal layer. The ectopic pancreas is recognized as a well-demarcated, oval, heterogeneous, hypoechoic mass mainly located in the mucosal and submucosal layers. We diagnosed a lipoma and ectopic pancreas via abdominal ultrasonography after the patient drank water.

A140 ECTOPIC SPLEEN PRESENTING AS A GASTRIC SUBMUCOSAL LESION

Abstract Background Accessory spleen is ectopic splenic tissue which can be either congenital or acquired. It is usually an asymptomatic incidental finding. In the context of known malignancy, accessory spleen can be mistaken for metastasis. Purpose Here, we share a case of ectopic spleen presenting as a gastric subepithelial lesion post splenectomy. Rare cases have been reported in the literature. Method Case Report and Literature Review Result(s) Case: A middle age male with history of splenic rupture secondary to a motor vehicle accident and metastatic renal cancer was found to have a gastric subepithelial lesion on endoscopy. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) revealed a subepithelial mass coming off the submucosa or muscularis mucosa of the gastric wall with intact muscularis propria. EUS-guided core biopsy was performed and demonstrated splenic tissue Conclusion(s) Splenic tissue should be considered in the differential diagnosis when assessing gastric subepithelial tumors even in the context of previous trauma to the spleen. In addition, EUS-guided core biopsy may be required to rule out metastatic disease. Please acknowledge all funding agencies by checking the applicable boxes below None Disclosure of Interest None Declared ESOPHAGEAL, GASTRIC &amp; DUODENAL DISORDERS

Gastric Inverted Hyperplastic Polyp Removed Using Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection

Gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs) are usually asymptomatic and are often detected incidentally during screening endoscopy. A gastric inverted hyperplastic polyp (IHP) is characterized by downward growth of hyperplastic mucosa into the submucosal layer. Owing to these characteristics, a gastric IHP is frequently misdiagnosed as a SET. Gastric IHPs are asymptomatic in most cases and are discovered incidentally. Notably, IHPs may be accompanied by an adenocarcinoma or anemia owing to chronic bleeding associated with this lesion; therefore, endoscopic submucosal dissection is recommended for complete excision of IHPs measuring &gt; 2 cm. We report a case of gastric IHP that was diagnosed during screening endoscopy in an asymptomatic patient. We observed a whitish purulent exudate expressed from the SET, and endoscopic ultrasonography revealed a SET originating from the muscularis mucosa. Endoscopic submucosal dissection was performed to remove the SET, and final histopathological findings revealed a gastric IHP. This case report highlights that IHPs should be suspected in patients with a SET associated with whitish exudates.

Spray coagulation as an alternative to argon plasma coagulation for bleeding portal hypertensive gastropathy

Spray coagulation as an alternative to argon plasma coagulation for bleeding portal hypertensive gastropathy

Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Endoscopic Treatment of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors in the Stomach.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors in the stomach. We evaluated the clinical outcomes of endoscopic treatment for gastric GISTs. This is a single center, retrospective study that enrolled 135 cases of gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs) resected by endoscopic procedures and confirmed as GISTs by histopathology from March 2005 to July 2019. The immediate and long-term clinical outcomes were analyzed retrospectively. The mean patient age was 57.9 years, and the mean tumor size was 2.1 cm. Of the tumors, 43.0% were located in the body, followed by the fundus (26.7%) and cardia (17.0%). Most tumors (85.2%) were resected by endoscopic submucosal dissection, followed by endoscopic mucosal resection (6.7%), submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection (5.9%), and endoscopic full-thickness resection (2.2%). Macroperforation occurred in 4.4% and microperforation in 6.7% of the cases. The R0 resection rate was 15.6%. However, the rate of complete resection by the endoscopic view was 90.4%, of which 54.8% of cases were in the very-low-risk group, followed by the low-risk group (28.1%), intermediate-risk group (11.9%), and high-risk group (5.2%). During 36.5 months of follow-up, recurrence was found in four (3.4%) of the 118 patients who were monitored for more than 6 months (low-risk group, 1/37 [2.7%]; intermediate-risk group, 2/11 [18.2%]; high-risk group, 1/6 [16.7%]). Endoscopic treatment of a GIST appears to be a feasible procedure in selected cases. However, additional surgery should be considered if the pathologic results correspond to intermediate- or high-risk groups.

Clinical outcomes of endoscopic resection of gastric GIST.

383 Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors in stomach. We evaluated the long-term clinical outcomes of endoscopic treatment for gastric GISTs. Methods: This is a retrospective study that enrolled 135 cases of gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs) resected by endoscopic procedures and confirmed as GISTs by histopathology from 2005 to 2019. The immediate and long-term clinical outcomes were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The mean age was 57.9 years, and the mean tumor size was 2.1 cm. Of the tumors, 43.0% were located in the corpus, followed by the fundus (26.7%) and cardia (17.0%). Most tumors (85.2%) were resected by endoscopic submucosal dissection. Macroperforation occurred in 4.4% and microperforation in 6.7% of the cases. The R0 resection rate was 15.6%. However, complete resection by the endoscopic view was 90.4%, of which 54.8% were in the very-low-risk group, followed by the low (28.1%), intermediate (11.9%), and high-risk groups (5.2%). During 36.5 months of follow-up, recurrence was found in four (3.4%) of the 118 patients who were monitored for more than six months (low risk group:1/37, 2.7%; intermediate risk group: 2/11, 18.2%; high risk group: 1/6, 16.7%). Conclusions: Endoscopic treatment of a GIST appears to be a feasible procedure in selected cases, however, additional surgery should be considered if pathologic result is corresponding to intermediate or high risk group.

Comparison of endoscopic full-thickness resection and ligation-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection for small (≤ 1.5cm) gastric subepithelial tumors originating from muscularis propria.

In the treatment of small gastric subepithelial tumors originating from muscularis propria (SET-MPs), endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) has been an effective procedure and ligation-assisted EFTR (EFTR-L) seems a feasible and promising operation. We aimed to compare the therapeutic outcomes of EFTR-L and EFTR to evaluate effect and safety of either method in the treatment of small (≤ 1.5cm) gastric SET-MPs. Between January 2018 to May 2022, we retrospectively enrolled a total of 119 patients with gastric SET-MPs treated by EFTR-L (79 patients) or EFTR (40 patients) at Xiangya Hospital Central South University. Clinical characteristics, operation efficacy, adverse events (AEs), and operation cost were compared between the 2 groups. Univariate and multiple logistic and linear regressions were applied to analyze the therapeutic outcomes of the procedure, and covariates were adjusted in the multiple analysis. The operation time of EFTR-L group (16.34 ± 5.75min) was significantly shorter than EFTR group (51.23 ± 21.21min, P < 0.001), and the difference remained significant after adjusting the covariates (adjusted mean difference, 30.56; 95% confidence interval, 25.65-35.47; P < 0.001). The operation cost of EFTR-L group was lower than EFTR group (1268.52 ± 457.22 vs 1643.18 ± 295.08 $; P < 0.001). The complete resection rate of the EFTR-L group was 98.72% and of the EFTR group 100%. The incidence of abdominal pain in the EFTR-L group (5.06%) was lower than in the EFTR group (27.50%, P = 0.008). A patient in the EFTR group underwent severe pneumoperitoneum and received abdominocentesis during operation. One case of peritonitis occurred in the EFTR-L group but recovered from intensified antibiotic therapy. No delayed blood or perforation occurred. Compared to EFTR, EFTR-L might be a feasible procedure for small (≤ 1.5cm) gastric SET-MPs due to the acceptable efficacy, shorter operation time, and lower cost.

Reliability of endoscopic ultrasonography and endoscopy in measurement of gastric subepithelial tumor size.

Subepithelial tumor (SET) size is important in determining the treatment plan; however, size estimation for gastric SETs has not been well investigated. We aimed to investigate which method predicts SET size most accurately by retrospectively analyzing surgically removed SETs. From January 2015 through June 2020, patients who underwent surgical gastric SET removal at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, were enrolled. SET sizes measured by pathologists and endoscopists were retrospectively reviewed. The reliability of SET size measurement by endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) and endoscopy was calculated using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), with pathologic size as the gold standard. Overall, EUS was highly reliable (ICC 0.86, P < 0.001), and endoscopy was moderately reliable (ICC 0.75, P < 0.001). When analyzed according to SET location, endoscopy was highly reliable in the lesser curvature's lower third (ICC 0.86, P = 0.014), middle third (ICC 0.88, P < 0.001), and upper third (ICC 0.90, P < 0.001); as well as the anterior wall's middle third (0.84, P < 0.001) and the posterior wall's upper third (ICC 0.80, P < 0.001). EUS (ICC 0.96, P = 0.005) and endoscopy (ICC 0.95, P = 0.008) both were most reliable for lower-third posterior wall lesions, whereas endoscopy was unreliable for middle-third greater curvature lesions (ICC 0.41, P = 0.05). Both EUS and endoscopy were reliable methods for measuring gastric SET size, and overall, EUS was more reliable than endoscopy. In terms of SET location, EUS was consistently reliable, whereas endoscopy showed variable reliability. When measuring SET size by endoscopy, additional size measurements with EUS should be considered in certain locations.

Necessity of Individualized Approach for Gastric Subepithelial Tumor Considering Pathologic Discrepancy and Surgical Difficulty Depending on the Gastric Location.

Background: Depending on the location of gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs), surgical access is difficult with a risk of postoperative complications. This study aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological characteristics of small-sized gastric SETs and their surgical outcomes depending on location and provide considering factors for their treatment plans. Methods: This single-center, retrospective study reviewed patients who underwent surgical resection for gastric SETs (size < 5 cm). SETs were divided into benign SETs and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) for comparison. The clinicopathological characteristics of SETs in the cardia were compared to those in the other regions. Results: Overall, 191 patients with gastric SETs (135 GISTs, 70.7%; and 56 benign SETs, 29.3%) were included. In multivariate analysis, age > 65 years (odds ratio (OR), 3.183; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.310–7.735; p = 0.011), and non-cardiac SETs (OR, 2.472; 95% CI, 1.110–5.507; p = 0.030) were associated with a significant risk of malignancy. Compared to SETs in other locations, cardiac SETs showed more complications (3 versus 0; p = 0.000), and open conversion rates (2 versus 0; p = 0.003). However, the proportion of GISTs of SETs in the cardia is not negligible (52.9%). Conclusions: Considering the malignancy risk of SETs, active surgical resection should be considered in old age and/or location in the non-cardiac area. However, in young patients, SETs located in the gastric cardia have a considerably benign nature and are associated with poor short-term surgical outcomes. An individualized surgical approach for asymptomatic small SETs according to the gastric location is warranted.

Endoscopic full-thickness resection with double-layer closure by endoscopic hand suturing for a gastric subepithelial tumor.

Endoscopic full-thickness resection with double-layer closure by endoscopic hand suturing for a gastric subepithelial tumor.

Tissue diagnosis necessary for small endoscopic ultrasound-suspected gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors 2cm or less in size: A prospective study focusing on the endoscopic incisional biopsy.

The small endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-suspected gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), gastric subepithelial tumors at the muscularis propria layer on EUS, are detected frequently. Bite-on-bite forceps biopsy and EUS-guided tissue sampling yield variable results. This study aimed to analyze clinicopathologic features of the small EUS-suspected gastric GISTs 2cm or less in size and to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the endoscopic incisional biopsy (EIB) for these small tumors. This prospective study investigated 70 patients with small EUS-suspected gastric GISTs 2cm or less in size in two stages. Firstly, 30 patients were recruited for the efficacy and safety evaluation of the EIB. Secondly, 40 patients were randomly assigned to receive either EIB or the bite-on-bite biopsy for comparison of the diagnostic yield, procedure time, and adverse event rate. Combining two study stages, leiomyoma (74%) was diagnosed histologically to outnumber GIST (26%) with a diagnostic rate of 94% for patients receiving EIB. KIT exon 11 mutations (50%) and PDGFRA exon 12 mutations (16%) were detected in the small gastric GISTs. In the direct comparison, the diagnostic yield of EIB and the bite-on-bite biopsy was 85% and 50%, respectively (P=0.018). There was no statistically significant difference of the mean procedure time or adverse event rate between these two groups. Leiomyoma is more common than expected among these small tumors. Tissue diagnosis with an effective and safe sampling technique, such as EIB, is necessary for making further clinical decisions.