[Mucosectomy as sufficient therapy for early squamous cell]

Squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus can be treated endoscopically under certain conditions. A carcinoma (T1a) limited to the mucosa with a low infiltration depth (m1-m2) and limited extent (< or =2 cm) can be removed by electrical snare with no risk of lymph node metastasis. Due to the increased risk of lymphatic spread, deeply infiltrating submucosal tumours (sm2-sm3) must be treated by surgical resection. Endoscopic resection (mucosectomy) is performed by electric snare and the cap method, additionally with APC coagulation or photodynamic therapy. Multifocal tumour growth and incomplete resection are both risk factors for local recurrence. If the strict conditions for endoscopic resection are fulfilled, the 5-year survival time of these patients with early cancer is no different from that of the population as a whole.