Long-term follow-up and characteristics of cancer negative cases after endoscopic resection and gastrectomy for early gastric cancer

Endoscopic resection (ER) and gastrectomy are widely used for early gastric cancer (EGC). However, unexpected cases, which show no cancer after treatment, have occurred. The present study was designed to characterize cancer negative cases after ER and gastrectomy, and determine their long term prognosis.Patients with EGC who underwent ER from January 2004 to October 2012 and gastrectomy from January 2000 to December 2007 were analyzed.There were 13 CFG from 1508 EGC cases after ER (0.9%) and 13 CFG from 4,101 gastrectomy (0.3%), respectively. The tumor size of the CFG group after ER was smaller than the control group (median value of tumor area of CFG vs. control groups, 48.0 mm2 vs. 146.0 mm2, respectively, P = 0.008). However, the CFG group, after gastrectomy, showed marginal differences in size and biopsy number when compared with the control group. There was no mortality in the all CFG.The small diameter and area of EGC are factors which determine if the lesion can be completely removed by forcep biopsy. A final pathology report of “No cancer was detected” after ER and surgery of EGC is not detrimental to the patient.