[Endoscopic treatment of early colorectal cancer]

Early cancer of the colon and rectum is currently treated by endoscopic or surgical resection. We studied the indications for endoscopic treatment of early colorectal cancers (80 lesions) in relation to the size and macroscopic findings. The endoscopic treatment consists of polypectomy for a pedunculated or a sessile polyp and strip biopsy for a plaque-like or a depressive lesion. Microscopic or most small cancers were completely treated endoscopically. From macroscopic findings of the early cancers, type Ip (less than 2cm and 2cm in diameter) was completely treated by polypectomy, type I s and type II a (less than 1cm and 1cm in diameter) by polypectomy or strip biopsy, and type II c (less than 0.5cm and 0.5cm in diameter) by strip biopsy.