| [ Summary ] |
Recently, endoscopic findings of superficial submucosal invading cancers have been paid attention because of the increasing demands for endoscopic resection. We analyzed the endoscopic and or clinicopathological findings of superficial elevated types of early colorectal cancer to evaluate whether the superficial elevated type of submucosal cancer produced specific endoscopic findings. 71 superficial elevated type early cancers (59 mucosal cancers, 12 submucosal cancers) were studied (13 IIa type lesions, 43 laterally spreadihg tumors (LST)-non granular type and 15 LST-granular type). There were no IIa type early cancers, which invaded the submucosa. On the other hand, LST frequently invaded the submucosa (20.7％). LST of the ascending colon and cecum had the higher rate of submucosal invasion. By statistical evaluation, it was revealed that the existence of a giant nodule, finding expansions and depressions were important to the endoscopic appearance of early colorectal cancer which had deeply invaded the submucosa. Moreover, VN pit (a non structureal pit) was a specific pit pattern for early colorectal tumors, which had deeply invaded the submucosa. |