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Updated: Jul 18, 2025
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Published on: February 16, 2024
Prevalence, natural progression, and clinical practices of upper gastrointestinal subepithelial lesions in Korea: a
Younghee Choe1, Yu Kyung Cho1,2, Gwang Ha Kim3,2
1Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Background/Aims:
This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and natural progression of subepithelial lesions (SELs) in the upper gastrointestinal (UGI) tract.
Methods:
The medical records of patients with UGI SELs who underwent endoscopic screening at eight university hospitals between January and December 2010 were retrospectively investigated. The follow-up evaluations were performed until December 2016.
Results:
UGI SELs were found in 1,044 of the 65,233 participants screened (endoscopic prevalence, 1.60%; the total number of lesions, 1,062; mean age, 55.1±11.2 years; men, 53.6%). The median follow-up period was 48 (range, 8-74) months. SELs were most frequently found in the stomach (63.8%) and had a mean size of 9.9±6.1 mm. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) was performed in 293 patients (28.1%). The most common lesions were leiomyomas, followed by gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), and ectopic pancreas. The proportions of SELs with malignant potential according to size were 3% (<1 cm), 22% (1-2 cm), 27% (2-3 cm), and 38% (≥3 cm). In gastric SELs larger than 1 cm, resections were performed in 20 patients because of an increase in size, of which 12 were found to be GISTs.
Conclusion:
The prevalence of UGI SELs was 1.60%. Further, 23% of gastric SELs ≥1 cm were precancerous lesions, most followed by EUS and clinical decisions without initial pathological confirmation.
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