Early esophageal signet ring cell carcinoma: A contraindication to endoscopic resection?

Introduction: Endoscopic resection is a standard-of-care for early esophageal neoplasia. Early gastric signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) can be safely managed by endoscopic resection, if the early SRCC is limited to the mucosa and less than 15mm, with a low lymph node metastasis rate. It is not known if esophageal signet ring cell carcinoma is amenable to endoscopic resection.

Methods: We retrospectively collected demographic, procedural, oncologic and follow-up data from all patients with esophageal SRCC resected endoscopically at our institution, and compared them to those of patients with endoscopically resected poorly differentiated esophageal adenocarcinomas.

Results: Between 2016 and 2018, 170 endoscopic resections were performed for esophageal neoplasms, among which 7 patients with SRCC and 6 patients with poorly differentiated early adenocarcinomas were identified. The histologically complete (R0) resection rate was 28.6% (2/7) for SRCC vs. 100% for poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas (P=0.04). The presence of lymphovascular invasion or deep submucosal invasion led to curative resection rates of 14.2% (1/7) and 66.6% (4/6) for SRCC and poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas, respectively (P=0.1).

Conclusion: Endoscopic resection of early esophageal SRCC is neither histologically complete, nor curative in the majority of cases. These data argue against upfront endoscopic resection when SRCC is evidenced on esophageal biopsies.