Early Gastric Cancers

Abstract

Early gastric cancer (EGC) is defined as the tumor confined to the mucosa or submucosa irrespective of lymph node metastasis and discriminated in terms of better long-term survival from advanced gastric cancer (AGC) which invades deeper than submucosal layer. In endoscopic finding, EGC has diverse morphologies according to depth of tumor invasion from subtle mucosal changes such as a smooth surface protrusion, shallow mucosal depression, flat mucosal discoloration, or erythematous mucosal change to marked changes such as a definitely elevated lesion with surrounding mucosal infiltration; abnormal fold convergence with clubbing, fusion, abrupt cutting, or rat-tail appearance; depressed lesion with marked marginal elevation; or irregular deep excavated ulcer. The tumor size is not the factor which can discriminate it from AGC.