Outcome after endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer in Korea

Endoscopic treatment, such as endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), has been established as one of the treatment options for selected cases with early gastric cancer (EGC). Most studies on this topic have been carried out by researchers in Japan. Recently, the experience in EMR/ESD for EGC outside Japan is increasingly reported. In Korea, gastric cancer is the most common malignant disease, and the second leading cause of cancer death. Currently, EMR for EGC is widely performed in many centers in Korea. Early results with a short-term follow-up period are very promising in Korea. The complete resection rate of EMR was 37.8%-94.3%, and that of ESD was 77.4%-93.1%. In this review, we will provide an overview of the outcomes of endoscopic treatments in Korea.