Endoscopic Therapies for Early Stage Esophageal and Gastric Cancers

Early detection of esophageal and gastric cancers offers the possibility of curative treatments with less-invasive interventions than traditional surgical approaches. This review highlights the main endoscopic therapeutic modalities used for early esophageal and gastric malignancies. Endoscopic resection techniques include endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). EMR is beneficial for smaller, well-defined lesions and involves resecting the superficial layer of the mucosa. In contrast, ESD permits en bloc resection of larger lesions, including those involving the superficial submucosa, offering precise histopathological assessments and reduced recurrence rates. As such, multidisciplinary collaboration is essential to achieve optimal outcomes.