Endoscopic Resections for Barrett’s Neoplasia: A Long-Term, Single-Center Follow-Up Study

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) are both well-established and effective treatments for dysplasia and early cancer in Barrett’s esophagus (BE). This study aims to compare the short- and long-term outcomes associated with these procedures in treating Barrett’s neoplasia. Materials and Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study included 95 patients, either EMR (n = 67) or ESD (n = 28), treated for Barrett’s neoplasia at Sahlgrenska University Hospital between 2004 and 2019. The primary outcome was the complete (en-bloc) R0 resection rate. Secondary outcomes included the curative resection rate, additional endoscopic resections, adverse events, and overall survival. Results: The complete R0 resection rate was 62.5% for ESD compared to 16% for EMR (p < 0.001). The curative resection rate for ESD was 54% versus 16% for EMR (p < 0.001). During the follow-up, 22 out of 50 patients in the EMR group required additional endoscopic resections (AERs) compared to 3 out of 21 patients in the ESD group (p = 0.028). There were few adverse events associated with both EMR and ESD. In both the stratified Kaplan–Meier survival analysis (Log-rank test, Chi-square = 2.190, df = 1, p = 0.139) and the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model (hazard ratio of 0.988; 95% CI: 0.459 to 2.127; p = 0.975), the treatment group (EMR vs. ESD) did not significantly impact the survival outcomes. Conclusions: Both EMR and ESD are effective and safe treatments for BE neoplasia with few adverse events. ESD resulted in higher curative resection rates with fewer AERs, indicating its potential as a primary treatment modality. However, the survival analysis showed no difference between the methods, highlighting their comparable long-term outcomes.