Efficacy and Safety of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Superficial Gastric Neoplasms: A Latin American Cohort Study

Background/Aims: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is the preferred technique for treating early gastric cancer (EGC). However, very few studies have been conducted in South America. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of ESD for EGC. Methods: We analyzed data from a prospective cohort from 2013 to 2020. A total of 152 superficial gastric neoplasms that fulfilled the absolute or expanded criteria for ESD were included. Outcomes were en bloc, R0, and curative resection rates, incidence of adverse events, and length of procedure. Results: The age of the enrolled patients was 68.4±11.3 years. The number of included patients based on the absolute and expanded indications was 150 and 2, respectively. En bloc, R0, and curative resections were achieved in 98.0%, 96.1%, and 89.5% of the cases, respectively. Bleeding and perforation were reported in 5.9% and 6.6% of the cases, respectively. Histopathological examination revealed low-grade dysplasia, high-grade dysplasia, well-differentiated adenocarcinoma, and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma in 13, 20, 117, and 2 cases, respectively. Conclusions: Our study shows that ESD performed by properly trained endoscopists in reference centers is safe and effective, with comparable therapeutic outcomes to those reported in the Eastern series.