Relevant risk factors and prognostic impact of positive resection margins after endoscopic submucosal dissection of superficial esophageal squamous cell neoplasia

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for the treatment of esophageal mucosal lesions has a risk of resection margin residues. The related risk factors and prognosis of post-ESD resection margin residues have not been fully evaluated. The aim of this study was to investigate the associated risk factors and the prognostic impact of resection margin residues after ESD of superficial esophageal squamous cell neoplasia.

We conducted a retrospective analysis of medical records at our hospital, including the clinical, endoscopic, and pathological data from patients who underwent ESD for the treatment of superficial esophageal squamous cell neoplasia from January 2008 to December 2012. In addition, we conducted a statistical analysis of the following factors: sex, age, location, the proportion of circumferential extension, the maximum diameter of the resected specimen, macroscopic type, the depth of invasion, and the endoscopists.

A total of 145 patients were included in the study. Overall, 148 lesions were completely resected. There were 17 patients (17 lesions) presenting with positive resection margin after ESD and the positive rate was 11.5 %. A total of 16 patients were followed-up. Among the patients who had resection margin residues, three underwent surgical esophageal resection, one underwent radiotherapy, two received ESD, and one received endoscopic mucosal resection. The remaining nine patients were periodically followed-up, and no recurrences were found. The results of a one-dimensional analysis suggested that there were significant differences in the maximum diameters of the resected specimens, macroscopic type, and the depth of invasion between the positive resection margin group and the negative resection margin group. The results of a multivariate regression analysis suggested that the maximum diameter of the resected specimens and the depth of invasion were risk factors for resection margin residues.

The maximum diameter of the resected specimens and the depth of tumor invasion are risk factors for post-ESD positive resection margins, which suggests that larger lesions and a greater depth of invasion increases the chance of residual tumor after ESD.