Less-Invasive Option Effective in Early Esophageal Cancer

Use of a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure to remove superficial, early stage esophageal cancer is as effective as surgery that takes out and rebuilds the esophagus. This is according to a study by researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida. Lead author Michael Wallace, M.D., says, “Endoscopic resection in the esophagus is similar to how we remove polyps in the colon, although it is much more technically complex. Esophagectomy is a major surgical procedure that cuts out the entire esophagus and pulls the stomach into the neck to create a new food tube. Patients now have the option to preserve their esophagus when only early stage cancer is present.”

The research, published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, examined national outcomes from endoscopic treatment compared to esophagectomy, surgical removal of the esophagus.

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