Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for gastritis cystica profunda (GCP) with early gastric cancer: A propensity score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Cystic dilatation of the gastric glands within the mucosal layer is the hallmark of the rare condition known as gastritis cystica profunda (GCP). Although it has been proved that GCP is the precursor lesion for early gastric cancer (EGC), the management strategy of GCP-related EGC is not well established.The purpose of this research was to determine if ESD is effective and safe for GCP-related EGC.

METHODS

Patients with EGC who had ESD at Beijing Friendship Hospital between January 2015 and May 2023 were retrospectively included. All patients were divided into two groups: those with GCP-related EGC, and those with EGC alone. The two groups were matched 1:1 using the propensity score matching (PSM) method. Curative resection rate, postoperative adverse outcome rate (bleeding, perforation, stricture), and recurrence rate were the primary measures used to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ESD.

RESULTS

There were a total of 386 participants (44 with GCP and 342 with EGC alone). Following PSM, 44 patients were paired and analyzed separately. Except for the presence of cysts in EUS (multiple/single/none cyst: 12/2/5 versus 1/0/25, P < 0.0001), there was no change in baseline characteristics, EUS appearance, or histology results between groups. Overall, there was no significant difference in curative resection rates between the GCP group (70.5 %) and the control group (81.8 %) (P = 0.211). Postoperative complications were comparative (9/44 vs 5/44, P = 0.244), as were rates of local recurrence (1/44 vs 0/44, P = 1.0), metachronous gastric cancer (1/44 vs 0/44, P = 1.0), and mortality (0/44 vs 0/44, P = 1.0).

CONCLUSIONS

Existence of cysts in EUS is a characteristic presentation to distinguish GCP-related EGC from EGC-alone lesions. ESD might be a safe and effective therapy for patients with GCP-related EGC.